Feast

Feast Feast (f[=e]st), n. [OE. feste festival, holiday, feast, OF. feste festival, F. f[^e]te, fr. L. festum, pl. festa, fr. festus joyful, festal; of uncertain origin. Cf. {Fair}, n., {Festal}, {F[^e]te}.] 1. A festival; a holiday; a solemn, or more commonly, a joyous, anniversary. [1913 Webster]

The seventh day shall be a feast to the Lord. --Ex. xiii. 6. [1913 Webster]

Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. --Luke ii. 41. [1913 Webster]

Note: An Ecclesiastical feast is called a {immovable feast} when it always occurs on the same day of the year; otherwise it is called a {movable feast}. Easter is a notable movable feast. [1913 Webster]

2. A festive or joyous meal; a grand, ceremonious, or sumptuous entertainment, of which many guests partake; a banquet characterized by tempting variety and abundance of food. [1913 Webster]

Enough is as good as a feast. --Old Proverb. [1913 Webster]

Belshazzar the King made a great feast to a thousand of his lords. --Dan. v. 1. [1913 Webster]

3. That which is partaken of, or shared in, with delight; something highly agreeable; entertainment. [1913 Webster]

The feast of reason, and the flow of soul. --Pope. [1913 Webster]

{Feast day}, a holiday; a day set as a solemn commemorative festival.

Syn: Entertainment; regale; banquet; treat; carousal; festivity; festival.

Usage: {Feast}, {Banquet}, {Festival}, {Carousal}. A feast sets before us viands superior in quantity, variety, and abundance; a banquet is a luxurious feast; a festival is the joyful celebration by good cheer of some agreeable event. Carousal is unrestrained indulgence in frolic and drink. [1913 Webster]