| 释义 |
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024was•sail (wos′əl, -āl, was′-, wo sāl′),USA pronunciation n. - a salutation wishing health to a person, used in England in early times when presenting a cup of drink or when drinking to the person.
- a festivity or revel with drinking of healths.
- Wineliquor for drinking and wishing health to others on festive occasions, esp. spiced ale, as on Christmas Eve and Twelfth-night.
- [Archaic.]a song sung in wassailing.
v.i. - to revel with drinking.
v.t. - to drink to the health or success of;
toast.
- Old Norse heill hale); replacing Old English wæs hāl be hale or whole. See whole, heal
- 1175–1225; Middle English was-hail, equivalent. to was be (Old English wæs, variant of wes, imperatire. of wesan to be; akin to was) + hail hale1, in good health (
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: wassail /ˈwɒseɪl/ n - (formerly) a toast or salutation made to a person at festivities
- a festivity when much drinking takes place
- alcoholic drink drunk at such a festivity, esp spiced beer or mulled wine
vb - to drink the health of (a person) at a wassail
- (intransitive) to go from house to house singing carols at Christmas
Etymology: 13th Century: from Old Norse ves heill be in good health; related to Old English wes hāl; see hale1ˈwassailer n |