jubilee

plural jubilees · alternative jubile · alternative Jubilee

1. JewishcountablehistoryA special year of emancipation supposed to be observed every fifty years, when farming was temporarily stopped, certain houses and land which had been sold could be redeemed by the original owners or their relatives, and Hebrew slaves set free.First known use late 14th c.

   [I]n the old Israel, there had supposedly been a system of ‘Jubilee’, a year in which all land should go back to the family to which it had originally belonged and during which all slaves should be released.

   2009, Diarmaid MacCulloch, “Boundaries Defined (50 CE–300)”, in Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years, New York, N.Y.: Viking, published 2010, →ISBN, page 120

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   And thou ſhalt number ſeuen Sabbaths of yeeres vnto thee, ſeuen times ſeuen yeeres, and the ſpace of the ſeuen Sabbaths of yeeres, ſhall be vnto thee fourtie and nine yeeres. Then ſhalt thou cauſe the trumpet of the Jubile to ſound, on the tenth day of the ſeuenth moneth, in the day of atonement ſhall ye make the trumpet ſound throughout all your land. And ye ſhall hallow the fiftieth yeere, and proclaime libertie throughout all the land, vnto al the inhabitants thereof: It ſhalbe a Jubile vnto you, and ye ſhall returne euery man vnto his poſſeſſion, and ye ſhall returne euery man vnto his family.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Leviticus 25:8–10, column 2

   Touching this yeere of Iubilee is much controverſie. The ancient Authors account it the fiftieth yeere. […] Culuiſius hath at large diſputed this queſtion againſt Creutzhemius and Bucholcerus, by diuers arguments prouing that the Iubilee vvas but fortie nine yeeres complete, and that the fiftieth yeere vvas the firſt onvvards of another Iubilee or Sabbath of yeeres: […]

   1626, [Samuel] Purchas, “Of the Festiuall Dayes Instituted by God in the Law”, in Purchas His Pilgrimes. […], 5th part, London: […] William Stansby for Henrie Fetherstone, […], →OCLC, 2nd book, page 113

2. broadlycountableuncountableCatholicismA special year (originally held every hundred years, then at more frequent intervals, and now declarable by the Pope at any time and also for periods less than a year) in which plenary indulgences and remission from sin can be granted upon making a pilgrimage to Rome or other designated churches.First known use 15th c.
3. broadlycountableuncountableA major anniversary of an event, particularly the fiftieth (50th) anniversary of a coronation or marriage.First known use late 14th c.

   [A] married couple, when celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of their marriage-day, are said to keep their golden jubilee, but on the 25th anniversary they have credit only for a silver jubilee.

   1853, Thomas De Quincey, “The Female Infidel”, in Autobiographic Sketches (De Quincey’s Works; I), London: James Hogg & Sons, →OCLC, footnote *, page 131

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   The 70th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the throne will be a good deal more earthbound: The 95-year-old monarch plans to spend a quiet Sunday at her country estate, Sandringham, where her father died on Feb. 6, 1952. Four days of festivities to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee are scheduled for June.

   2022 February 6, Mark Landler, “Queen Elizabeth, anchor in a storm-tossed Britain, marks 70-year reign”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 06 Feb 2022

4. countablefigurativelyA time for release or restitution.First known use late 16th c.

   The chains of that great power we broke; / The burdened captives were set free, / For Lincoln held the pen, whose stroke / Proclaimed, the year of jubilee.

   1890, L[evi] C. McKinstry, “[Lincoln’s White Name]”, in A Poetic Offering to John Greenleaf Whittier […], Haverhill, Mass.: L. C. McKinstry, →OCLC, page 101

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   [T]hough it be in the povver of the vveakeſt arme to take avvay life, it is not in the ſtrongeſt to deprive us of death: […] the firſt day of our Jubilee is death; the Devill hath therefore failed of his deſires; vvee are happier vvith death than vve ſhould have been vvithout it: there is no miſery but in himſelfe vvhere there is no end of miſery: […]

   1642, Tho[mas] Browne, “The First Part”, in Religio Medici. […], 4th edition, London: […] E. Cotes for Andrew Crook […], published 1656, →OCLC, section 44, page 94

   "Hurrah! hurrah! we bring the Jubilee! / Hurrah! Hurrah! the flag that makes you free!" / So we sung the chorus from Atlanta to the sea, / While we were marching through Georgia.

   1865 (date written), [Henry Clay Work], “Marching through Georgia”, in Beadle’s Dime Song Book […], number 17, New York, N.Y.: Beadle and Company, […], published 1866, →OCLC, page 57

5. countablefigurativelyA time of celebration or rejoicing.First known use late 16th c.

   But you firſt ſhall taſte / The bounty of our Court, with royall Preſents / Both to the Duke your maſter, and the Princeſſe; / It done, prepare we for this great ſolemnity, / Of Hymeneall Iubilies.

   1634, Thomas Heywood, “A Pleasant Comedy, Called A Mayden-head Well Lost. […]”, in The Dramatic Works of Thomas Heywood […], volume IV, London: John Pearson […], published 1874, →OCLC, Act III, page 137

6. figurativelyuncountableExultation, rejoicing; jubilation.First known use early 16th c.

   We will kiss sweet kisses, and speak sweet words: / O listen, listen, your eyes shall glisten / With pleasure and love and jubilee: […]

   a. 1893 (date written), Alfred Tennyson, “Sea Fairies”, in The Complete Poetical Works of Alfred Tennyson, Chicago, Ill.: The Dominion Company, published 1897, →OCLC, page 32

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   Hee cauſed his little Sonne to goe vvith great State to Sandai to the Dairi, that is, to bovv the head thrice before him dovvne to the Mats, vvho entertayned him vvith a ſolemne feaſt, vvith great Iubilee in alteration of names and titles of honour to the Nobles.

   1625, [Samuel] Purchas, “A General Collection and Historicall Representation of the Iesuites Entrance into Iapon and China, untill Their Admission in the Royal Citie of Nanquin”, in Purchas His Pilgrimes. […], 3rd part, London: […] William Stansby for Henrie Fetherstone, […], →OCLC, 2nd book, § II (Iaponian Embassage to the Pope; […]), page 326

   The peoples joy to knovv us reconcild, / Is added to the Iubile of the day, / VVe have no more a faction but one heart, / Peace flovv in every boſome.

   c. 1634 (date written), [James Shirley], The Coronation: A Comedy. […], London: […] Tho[mas] Cotes, for Andrew Crooke, and William Cooke […], published 1640, →OCLC, Act II

   Was it for Peveril of the Peak, in the jubilee of his spirits, to consider how his wife was to find beef and mutton to feast his neighbours?

   1822, [Walter Scott], chapter III, in Peveril of the Peak. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC, pages 46–47

   The Mexicans, elated with their success, meanwhile, abandoned themselves to jubilee; singing, dancing, and feasting on the mangled relics of their wretched victims.

   1843, William H[ickling] Prescott, chapter VI, in History of the Conquest of Mexico, […], volume III, New York, N.Y.: Harper and Brothers, […], →OCLC, book VI (Siege and Surrender of Mexico), page 155

7. figurativelyuncountableThe sound of celebration or rejoicing; shouts of joy.First known use 16th c.

   […] Heav'n rung / VVith Jubilee, and loud Hoſanna's fill'd / Th' eternal Regions: […]

   1667, John Milton, “Book III”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 347–349

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   [S]lowly down the steep descent / Fair Scotland's King and nobles went, / While all along the crowded way / Was jubilee and loud huzza.

   1810, Walter Scott, “Canto V. The Combat.”, in The Lady of the Lake; […], Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for John Ballantyne and Co.; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme, and William Miller, →OCLC, stanza XXI, page 222

8. attributivecountablefigurativelyoftenAfrican-American VernacularentertainmentA joyful African-American (usually Christian) folk song.First known use late 19th c.
9. countableobsoleteuncountableA period of fifty years; a half-century.First known use 17th–18th c.

   Hovv their faiths could decline ſo low, as to concede their generations in heaven, to be made by the ſmell of a citron, or that the felicity of their Paradiſe ſhould conſiſt in a Jubile of conjunction, that is a coition of one act prolonged unto fifty years.

   1646, Thomas Browne, “Of Credulity and Supinity”, in Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], London: […] T[homas] H[arper] for Edward Dod, […], →OCLC, 1st book, page 17

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   And now, being on this subject, once to dispatch [Thomas] Becket out of our way, just a jubilee of years after his death, Stephen Langton, his mediate successor, removed his body from the Under-croft in Christ-church, where first he was buried, and laid him, at his own charge, in a most sumptuous shrine, at the east end of the church.

   1655, Thomas Fuller, “Section II. The Twelfth Century. […].”, in The Church-history of Britain; […], London: […] Iohn Williams […], →OCLC, (please specify |book=I to XI), subsection 69 (Becket, after Fifty Years, Enshrined), page 317

10. countableobsoleterareuncountableA fiftieth year.First known use 17th c.

    But is't poſſible he ſhould believe he is not of age? vvhy / He is 50, man, in's Jubile I vvarrant: s'light, he / Looks older then a groat, the very ſtamp on's face is / VVorne out vvith handling.

    1616–1618, John Fletcher, Philip Massinger, Nathan Field, “The Queene of Corinth”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, →OCLC, Act III, scene i, page 11, column 1

1. rail transportA London Underground line which runs between Stratford in East London and Stanmore in northwest London, via the London Docklands, South Bank, and West End.

plural Jubilees

1. Alternative letter-case form of jubilee (“(Jewish history) special year of emancipation supposed to be observed every fifty years; (Roman Catholicism) special year in which plenary indulgences and remission from sin can be granted”)

   "Hurrah! hurrah! we bring the Jubilee! / Hurrah! Hurrah! the flag that makes you free!" / So we sung the chorus from Atlanta to the sea, / While we were marching through Georgia.

   1865 (date written), [Henry Clay Work], “Marching through Georgia”, in Beadle’s Dime Song Book […], number 17, New York, N.Y.: Beadle and Company, […], published 1866, →OCLC, page 57

   2 more examples

   [T]hough it be in the povver of the vveakeſt arme to take avvay life, it is not in the ſtrongeſt to deprive us of death: […] the firſt day of our Jubilee is death; the Devill hath therefore failed of his deſires; vvee are happier vvith death than vve ſhould have been vvithout it: there is no miſery but in himſelfe vvhere there is no end of miſery: […]

   1642, Tho[mas] Browne, “The First Part”, in Religio Medici. […], 4th edition, London: […] E. Cotes for Andrew Crook […], published 1656, →OCLC, section 44, page 94

   [I]n the old Israel, there had supposedly been a system of ‘Jubilee’, a year in which all land should go back to the family to which it had originally belonged and during which all slaves should be released.

   2009, Diarmaid MacCulloch, “Boundaries Defined (50 CE–300)”, in Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years, New York, N.Y.: Viking, published 2010, →ISBN, page 120