jamboree

plural jamborees

1. A boisterous or lavish celebration or party.

   1 more example

   George reeling quietly through the heavy revolving doors into this elderly place. To tip toe across the fat carpet and whisper boo at the reception desk. "Can I help you sir." Smith looking out at the eyes. Holding the counter with uncertain hands. Mouth opening and closing. Eyes fixed on all the hanging keys. To open doors. Shirl seems to stand somewhere behind this desk. With her unlit heart. However cold you get, remember me. Gripped in solitude. There can't be a jamboree all the time.

   1963, J P Donleavy, A Singular Man, published 1963 (USA), pages 244, 245

2. datedslangA frolic or spree.

   [']Chuck us down that net on top of the lockers, Stalky.' / 'That's all right. It's a collapsible jamboree, too. Beastly luxurious dogs these fags are. Built like a fishin'-rod.[']

   1898 August, Rudyard Kipling, “‘In Ambush’”, in Stalky & Co., London: Macmillan & Co., published 1899, →OCLC, page 4

   1 more example

   1899m W. A. Fraser, "Raja Singh and Other Elephants" in McClure's Magazinehttps://www.google.com/books/edition/McClure_s_Magazine/8C9NAQAAMAAJ?hl=es&gbpv=1&dq=%22A+Calcutta-made+pony+cart+had+been+standing%22&pg=PA42&printsec=frontcover A Calcutta-made pony cart had been standing in front of the manager's bungalow when Raja Singh started on his jamboree.

3. scoutingA large rally of Scouts or Guides.

   The campfires provide enough plain old regular visible light to show this sorry affair for what it is: a bunch of demented Boy Scouts, a jamboree without merit badges or hygiene.

   1992, Neal Stephenson, Snow Crash, page 243

   1 more example

   According to recent revelations, much of the jamboree’s 117.1bn won (£700,000) budget was spent on the operation of the organising committee, which seems to have included many lavish trips abroad, sometimes to countries such as Switzerland and Italy that have never hosted jamborees.

   2023 August 9, Raphael Rashid, “‘Worst nightmare’: South Korea mulls disastrous Scout jamboree”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

4. card gamesIn euchre: an undefeatable hand containing the five highest cards.

present singular third person jamborees · participle present jamboreeing · participle past jamboreed · past jamboreed

1. To take part in a jamboree.