wassail

noun was·sail \ ˈwä-səl also wä-ˈsāl \

Definition of wassail

1 : an early English toast to someone's health

2 : a hot drink that is made with wine, beer, or cider, spices, sugar, and usually baked apples and is traditionally served in a large bowl especially at Christmastime

3 : riotous drinking : revelry

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Examples of wassail in a Sentence

woke up with a terrible headache from a wild wassail the night before

Recent Examples of wassail from the Web

Diners may bring their own wine or enjoy the hot wassail that will be provided.

— joanne berger dumound/special to cleveland.com., cleveland.com, "Meals on Wheels clients receive extra help this season: Olmsted Dates and Data," 22 Dec. 2017
The historical society hosted its annual Victorian tea to show off the seasonal decor and to welcome patrons to enjoy hors oeuvres, desserts, traditional wassail and tea.

— linda g. kramer, cleveland.com, "Berea Historical Society welcomes Christmas with Victorian Tea: Community Voices," 10 Dec. 2017
Bayfield These annual wassail dinner concerts delight both the ears and taste buds.

— travel wisconsin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Wisconsin’s Festive Feasts," 27 Oct. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'wassail.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of wassail

Middle English wæs hæil, washayl, from Old Norse ves heill be well, from ves (imperative singular of vera to be) + heill healthy — more at was, whole

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

Other Alcoholic Beverage Terms

finish, gimlet, mull, sake, setup, sommelier, syllabub, vintner

wassail

verb

Definition of wassail

wassailed; wassailing; wassails

intransitive verb

1 : to indulge in wassail : carouse

2 dialectal, England : to sing carols from house to house at Christmas

transitive verb

: to drink to the health or thriving of

Examples of wassail in a Sentence

the knights feasted and wassailed for three days after the battlefield victory

Recent Examples of wassail from the Web

There was toasting and wassailing all around And cinnamon sticks in yule logs were wrapped and bound.

— marc bona, cleveland.com, "Great Lakes Brewing's Christmas Ale First Pour party is here (photos, video)," 26 Oct. 2017

Did You Know?

The salutation wassail, from the Old Norse toast ves heill ("be well"), has accompanied English toast-making since the 12th century. By the 13th century, wassail was being used for the drink itself, and it eventually came to be used especially of a hot drink (of wine, beer, or cider with spices, sugar, and usually baked apples) drunk around Christmastime. This beverage warmed the stomachs and hearts of many Christmas revelers and was often shared with Christmas carolers. The verb wassail was first used in the 14th century to describe the carousing associated with indulgence in the drink; later, it was used of other activities associated with wassail and the holiday season, like caroling. Seventeenth-century farmers added cattle and trees to the wassail tradition by drinking to their health or vitality during wintertime festivities.