regale
/ɹɪˈɡeɪl/ noun, verb
Forms regales regaling regaled
- noun (rare) A feast, a meal.
- noun (archaic) a choice article of food or drink.
- noun (archaic) refreshment.
- verb (transitive) To please or entertain (someone), especially with stories, tales or jokes. “Please, regale us with your best tales!”
- verb (transitive) To provide hospitality for (someone); to supply with abundant food and drink.
- verb (obsolete, intransitive) To feast (on, with something).
- verb (figurative, transitive) To entertain with something that delights; to gratify; to refresh. “to regale the taste/the eye/the ear”
Synonyms
Etymology
From French régaler (“to entertain, feast”), from Old French regale, rigale, from gale (“merriment”), probably of Germanic origin (see Old French galer). Influenced by Old French se rigoler (“amuse oneself, rejoice”), of unknown origin. Compare Middle High German begalen (“to charm; enchant”), English gale (“to sing; charm”). Compare also English gala.
Webster’s 1913
- noun A prerogative of royalty. [R.] Johnson.
- verb To enertaas, to regale the taste, the eye, or the ear.
- verb To feast; t
- noun A sumptuous repast; a banquet. Johnson. Cowper.
Etymology [LL. regale, pl. regalia, fr. L. regalis: cf. F. régale. See Regal.]
Etymology [F. régaler, Sp. regalar to regale, to caress, to melt, perhaps fr. L. regalare to thaw (cff. Gelatin), or cf. Sp. gala graceful, pleasing address, choicest part of a thing (cf. Gala), or most likely from OF. galer to rejoice, gale pleasure.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “regale”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details