From Middle English revelen, from Old French revel, from reveler (“to be disorderly, to make merry”), from Latin rebello (“to rebel”). Doublet of rebel.
Meanings
An instance of merrymaking; a celebration.
"I ought to arise and go forth with timbrels and with dances; but, do you know, I am not inclined to revels? There has been a little—just a very little bit too much festivity so far …. Not that I don't adore dinners and gossip and dances; not that I do not love to pervade bright and glittering places.[…]" 1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter II, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC:
Our revels now are ended. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
fi juhlinta (An instance of merry-making; a celebration) · fi rälläys (An instance of merry-making; a celebration) · la cōmīssātiō (An instance of merry-making; a celebration) · pl birbantka (An instance of merry-making; a celebration) · ca gresca (An instance of merry-making; a celebration) · mk пир (An instance of merry-making; a celebration) · bg пир (An instance of merry-making; a celebration) · it festeggiamento (An instance of merry-making; a celebration) · uk бенкет (An instance of merry-making; a celebration) · ru пир (An instance of merry-making; a celebration) · eo festado (An instance of merry-making; a celebration) · pl uczta (An instance of merry-making; a celebration) · pl biesiada (An instance of merry-making; a celebration) · it baccanale (An instance of merry-making; a celebration) · fi rellestys (An instance of merry-making; a celebration) · pl hulanka (An instance of merry-making; a celebration) · ca barrila (An instance of merry-making; a celebration) · de Feier (An instance of merry-making; a celebration) · ca gatzara (An instance of merry-making; a celebration) · de Ausgelassenheit (An instance of merry-making; a celebration) · mi harakoa (An instance of merry-making; a celebration) · bg гуляй (An instance of merry-making; a celebration) · uk гулянка (An instance of merry-making; a celebration) · mk пирување (An instance of merry-making; a celebration) · enm revel (An instance of merry-making; a celebration) · ru кутёж (An instance of merry-making; a celebration) · pl pohulanka (An instance of merry-making; a celebration) · cmn 狂欢 (An instance of merry-making; a celebration) · grc κῶμος (An instance of merry-making; a celebration) · es parranda (An instance of merry-making; a celebration) · it celebrazione (An instance of merry-making; a celebration) · es juerga (An instance of merry-making; a celebration)
From Middle English revelen, from Old French revel, from reveler (“to be disorderly, to make merry”), from Latin rebello (“to rebel”). Doublet of rebel.
Meanings
To make merry; to have a happy, lively time.
If there bee any lasie fellow, any that cannot away with worke, any that would wallow in pleasures, hee is hastie to be priested. And when hee is made one, and has gotten a benefice, he consorts with his neighbour priests, who are altogether given to pleasures; and then both hee, and they, live, not like Christians, but like epicures; drinking, eating, feasting, and revelling, till the cow come home, as the saying is. 1610, Alexander Cooke, Pope Joane, in William Oldys, editor, The Harleian Miscellany […], volume IV, London: Printed for T[homas] Osborne, in Gray's-Inn, 1744, OCLC 5325177; republished as John Maltham, editor, The Harleian Miscellany […], volume IV, London: Printed for R. Dutton, 1808–1811, OCLC 30776079, page 95
[…] so they might spend the livelong day as befitteth high holiday, in pleasure and action without care, and thereafter revel in the lofty presence chamber till night grew old with eating and drinking and all delight. 1922, E[ric] R[ücker] Eddison, The Worm Ouroboros: A Romance, London: Jonathan Cape […], →OCLC, page 7:
To take delight (in something).
Slowing down doesn't have to feel like holding back. It can be an opportunity to revel in sounds and sensations, to not be so concerned about where we are going but to enjoy the moment and become comfortable where we are. 1997, The Art of Practicing, a Guide to Making Music from the Heart:
From Latin revellere, from re- + vellere (“to pluck, pull”).
Meanings
(obsolete) To draw back; to retract.
It then revelleth and drawethe backe agayne those humors which concurre towardes the Eyes. 1597, A. M., The Frenche chirurgerye, translation of original by Jacques Guilleameau: