Meanings
revel1
plural revels
- An instance of merrymaking; a celebration.
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]1 more example
"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, →OCLCSynonyms: shindig
- A kind of dance.
- A wake for the dead.
present singular third person revels · US participle present reveling · UK participle present revelling · US participle past reveled · US past reveled · UK participle past revelled · UK past revelled
- To make merry; to have a happy, lively time.
[…] 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 71 more example
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 - 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
revel2
present singular third person revels · participle present revelling · participle past revelled · past revelled
Revel3
Revel4
- alternativeAlternative spelling of Reval (“Tallinn”).
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAn instance of merrymaking; a celebration.
More synonyms by meaning
verbcelebrate noisily, often indulging in drinking; engage in uproarious festivities
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
revel · noun, verb
- Latinrebello“to rebel”
- Old Frenchrevel
- Middle Englishrevelen
- Englishrevel
From Middle English revelen, from Old French revel, from reveler (“to be disorderly, to make merry”), from Latin rebello (“to rebel”). Doublet of rebel.
More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →revel · verb, noun
- Latinrevellere
- Englishrevel
From Latin revellere, from re- + vellere (“to pluck, pull”).
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Revel · proper noun
- Latinrebellis“he who revolts, rebels”
- Old Frenchreveau“rebel”
- EnglishRevel
* As an English surname, variant of Revell. * As a French surname, from Old French reveau (“rebel”). * Also as a French surname, from several places in France, such as Revel, Haute-Garonne, named after a nearby Mont Revel, from Latin rebellis (“he who revolts, rebels”).
More words from Old French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek κῶμος, κωμάζω
- κῶμος (kômos)An instance of merry-making; a celebration
- κωμάζω (kōmázō)make merry
Arabic عَرْبَدَ
- عَرْبَدَ (ʕarbada)make merry
Bulgarian пир, гуляй
- пир (pir)An instance of merry-making; a celebration
- гуляй (guljaj)An instance of merry-making; a celebration
- веселя се (veselja se)make merry
- пирувам (piruvam)make merry
Catalan barrila, gatzara
- barrilaAn instance of merry-making; a celebration
- gatzaraAn instance of merry-making; a celebration
- grescaAn instance of merry-making; a celebration
Chinese Mandarin 狂欢
- 狂欢 (kuánghuān)An instance of merry-making; a celebration
Czech hýřit, veselit se
- hýřitmake merry
- veselit semake merry
- oddávat setake delight (in)
- vychutnávat sitake delight (in)
Dutch feesten
- feestenmake merry
Esperanto festado, festi
- festadoAn instance of merry-making; a celebration
- festimake merry
- ĝuitake delight (in)
Finnish juhlinta, rellestys
- juhlintaAn instance of merry-making; a celebration
- rellestysAn instance of merry-making; a celebration
- rälläysAn instance of merry-making; a celebration
- juhliamake merry
- rallatamake merry
- rellestäämake merry
- rällätämake merry
- nauttiatake delight (in)
- uppoutuatake delight (in)
- antaa viedä mennessääntake delight (in)
German Ausgelassenheit, Feier
- AusgelassenheitAn instance of merry-making; a celebration
- FeierAn instance of merry-making; a celebration
- feiernmake merry
- schwelgenmake merry
Italian baccanale, festeggiamento
- baccanaleAn instance of merry-making; a celebration
- festeggiamentoAn instance of merry-making; a celebration
- celebrazioneAn instance of merry-making; a celebration
- celebraremake merry
- gioiremake merry
- andare a nozzetake delight (in)
Latin cōmīssātiō, bacchor
- cōmīssātiōAn instance of merry-making; a celebration
- bacchormake merry
- cōmīssormake merry
Māori harakoa, whakahari
- harakoaAn instance of merry-making; a celebration
- whakaharimake merry
- harikoamake merry
Polish biesiada, hulanka
- biesiadaAn instance of merry-making; a celebration
- hulankaAn instance of merry-making; a celebration
- pohulankaAn instance of merry-making; a celebration
- ucztaAn instance of merry-making; a celebration
- birbantkaAn instance of merry-making; a celebration
- biesiadowaćmake merry
- hulaćmake merry
- ucztowaćmake merry
- bachusowaćmake merry
- bachowaćmake merry
- birbantowaćmake merry
- rozkoszować siętake delight (in)
Portuguese esbaldar-se
- esbaldar-semake merry
Russian пир, кутёж
- пир (pir)An instance of merry-making; a celebration
- кутёж (kutjóž)An instance of merry-making; a celebration
- пировать (pirovatʹ)make merry
- кути́ть (kutítʹ)make merry
Spanish juerga, parranda
- juergaAn instance of merry-making; a celebration
- parrandaAn instance of merry-making; a celebration
- celebrarmake merry
- deleitarse contake delight (in)
- gozar detake delight (in)
Swedish festa, fira
- festamake merry
- firamake merry
Ukrainian бенкет, гулянка
- бенкет (benket)An instance of merry-making; a celebration
- гулянка (huljanka)An instance of merry-making; a celebration
- бенкетувати (benketuvaty)make merry
- гуляти (huljaty)make merry
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with revel
All rhymes →Anagrams
Cite this entry
revel. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/revel
“revel.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/revel. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “revel,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/revel.
Source: revel on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.