verb
wassail
To celebrate by drinking alcohol.
Each winter, friends gather to wassail with mugs of mulled wine.
Etymology
The phrase began as a wish for health. Its use as a drinking toast broadened into the activity of convivial drinking and celebration.
More examples
- The guests wassailed late into the night, raising their glasses together.
- After an evening of wassailing, we took a taxi home.
- They wassail every Christmas Eve with cider and cheerful toasts.
Forms
wassail · wassails · wassailed · wassailing
wassailer noun — Someone who celebrates by drinking alcohol.