- Today's Word
Carouse
[kuh-ROWZ]
Definition
- (verb) To engage in boisterous, often drunken merrymaking or festivities. It refers to partying or celebrating in a noisy, enthusiastic manner, typically involving drinking and revelry.
Example
The wedding party caroused until dawn, dancing, singing, and celebrating the newlyweds with seemingly endless enthusiasm.
Fun Fact
“Carouse” comes from the German “gar aus” meaning “all out” or “to drink all,” which was a drinking phrase used in medieval taverns to encourage finishing one’s drink completely. The term entered English in the 16th century through maritime culture, where “carousing” became an important part of sailors’ traditions. Ships would often have designated “carouse nights” when the crew could celebrate, helping maintain morale during long voyages. Interestingly, in medieval Germany, there was a specific drinking vessel called a “Garaus” designed for communal carousing – it was passed around the table, and each drinker had to drink to the bottom mark designated for their social rank. The practice of carousing became so associated with Germanic drinking culture that Shakespeare referenced it in “Hamlet,” where he has the Danish court engaging in elaborate carousing scenes.
(verb) To assign someone or something to a lower position, status, or role—often as a form of dismissal or reduction in importance.
After the scandal, the senator was relegated to a minor committee post.
Late Middle English: from Latin relegare, meaning “to send away,” from re- ‘again’ + legare ‘to send’.