Dictionary

carouse en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /kəˈɹaʊz/ (UK, US)

Etymology

From Middle French carousser (“to quaff, drink, swill”), from German gar aus (literally “all out, quite out”), from gar austrinken (“to drink up entirely, guzzle”). Compare German Garaus.

Meanings

1. A large draught of liquor.
   • […] therefore forward I went with my hey-de-gaies to Ilford, where I againe reſted, and was by the people of the towne and countrey there-about very very wel welcomed, being offred carowſes in the great ſpoon, one whole draught being able at that time to haue drawne my little wit drye; […] 1600, William Kempe, Kemps nine daies vvonder, pages 4–5:
   • […] he hadde ſo many eyes watching ouer him, as he coulde not drinke a full Carouſe of Sacke, but the State was aduertised thereof, within few houres after. 1612, John Davies, Discoverie of the True Causes why Ireland was never entirely subdued:
   • Had our great Pallace the capacity To Campe this hoaſt, we all would ſup together, And drinke Carowſes to the next dayes Fate […] c. 1606–1607 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene viii]:
2. A drinking bout; a carousal.
   • PORSON […] would not only frequently “steal a few hours from the night,” but see out both lights and liquids, and seem none the worse for the carouse. 1835, Richard Gooch, Oxford and Cambridge Nuts to Crack, page 25:
   • The early feast and late carouse. 1725, Homer, “Book II”, in [William Broome], transl., The Odyssey of Homer. […], volume I, London: […] Bernard Lintot, →OCLC:

Forms

carouse en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /kəˈɹaʊz/ (UK, US)

Etymology

From Middle French carousser (“to quaff, drink, swill”), from German gar aus (literally “all out, quite out”), from gar austrinken (“to drink up entirely, guzzle”). Compare German Garaus.

Meanings

1. (intransitive) To engage in a noisy or drunken social gathering.
   • We are all going to carouse at Brian's tonight.
   • The prospect of two hundred (or more) loitering and carousing patrons streaming out of the club at 1 a.m. is profoundly disturbing to us. 1986 February 15, John Cronin, “More To It Than Homophobia”, in Gay Community News, volume 13, number 31, page 5:
2. (intransitive, transitive) To drink to excess.
   • If I survive this headache, I promise no more carousing at Brian’s.
   • […] the cup-bearers did fill great gems made in form of cups with ancient wine, and the Demons caroused to Lord Juss deep draughts in honour of this day of his nativity. 1922, E[ric] R[ücker] Eddison, The Worm Ouroboros: A Romance, London: Jonathan Cape […], →OCLC, page 7:

Forms

Deriveds

carrousel · carouser · carousal

Synonyms

howl · revel

Translations (37)

cmn 暢飲 /畅饮 (To drink to excess) · cs chlastat (To drink to excess) · grc κωμάζω (To engage in a noisy or drunken social gathering) · cs pařit (To engage in a noisy or drunken social gathering) · de bechern (To drink to excess) · it ubriacarsi (To drink to excess) · it gozzovigliare (To engage in a noisy or drunken social gathering) · fi juopotella (To drink to excess) · de saufen (To drink to excess) · es farrear (To engage in a noisy or drunken social gathering) · ru еба́шить (To drink to excess) · fi ryypätä (To drink to excess) · de zechen (To drink to excess) · ru напива́ться (To drink to excess) · bg пирувам (To engage in a noisy or drunken social gathering) · ru пья́нствовать (To drink to excess) · cs hýřit (To engage in a noisy or drunken social gathering) · ru кути́ть (To engage in a noisy or drunken social gathering) · la bacchor (To engage in a noisy or drunken social gathering) · ru пирова́ть (To engage in a noisy or drunken social gathering) · fi kännätä (To drink to excess) · ru напи́ться (To drink to excess) · it sbronzarsi (To drink to excess) · pl hulać (To engage in a noisy or drunken social gathering) · pl balować (To engage in a noisy or drunken social gathering) · de Gelage abhalten (To engage in a noisy or drunken social gathering) · bg гуляя (To engage in a noisy or drunken social gathering) · la cōmīssor (To engage in a noisy or drunken social gathering) · de eine Gasterei veranstalten (To engage in a noisy or drunken social gathering) · pl birbantować (To engage in a noisy or drunken social gathering) · bg пиянствувам (To drink to excess) · es embriagarse (To drink to excess) · sv rumla (To engage in a noisy or drunken social gathering) · fi rellestää (To engage in a noisy or drunken social gathering) · ru хуя́рить (To drink to excess) · de sinnlos besaufen (To engage in a noisy or drunken social gathering) · ru туси́ть (To engage in a noisy or drunken social gathering)