revelry
C1Literary, Formal, Descriptive, Journalistic
Definition
Meaning
Loud, lively, and uninhibited celebration involving a lot of drinking, dancing, and merrymaking.
A noisy, festive, and boisterous occasion characterized by enjoyment and often a lack of restraint. Can also refer to the act or state of engaging in such celebration.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Strongly connotes collective, social celebration with an element of abandon and high spirits, often extending late into the night. Can imply a degree of raucousness or indulgence that exceeds ordinary partying. Although often used positively, it can sometimes carry a critical nuance of excessive or disruptive merrymaking.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. The word is used with the same connotations in both varieties.
Connotations
Equally literary/descriptive in both dialects. In journalistic contexts, it's often used to describe festivals, public celebrations, or post-sports-match scenes.
Frequency
Comparably low frequency in both varieties. More common in written English (literature, news, descriptions) than in everyday casual speech.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Revelry broke out among the crowd.The revelry continued until dawn.We could hear the revelry from the pub.The town was filled with revelry during the festival.He immersed himself in the revelry.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Revelry in the streets”
- “The revels are over (idiomatic phrase using the related word 'revels')”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rarely used. Might appear metaphorically in informal contexts: 'The office party descended into mild revelry.'
Academic
Used in historical, literary, or sociological texts to describe cultural practices, festivals, or social behaviors.
Everyday
Uncommon in casual speech. Used for emphasis or descriptive effect: 'We couldn't sleep with all the revelry next door.'
Technical
Not used in technical contexts.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- They planned to revel all night after the final match.
- He was found reveling in his success.
American English
- They planned to revel all night after the championship game.
- She was reveling in the attention.
adverb
British English
- They celebrated revelrously.
American English
- They celebrated revelrously.
adjective
British English
- The revelling crowd spilled out of the pub.
- A night of revelrous behaviour.
American English
- The reveling crowd spilled out of the bar.
- A night of revelrous behavior.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The music and revelry from the party kept us awake.
- During the holiday, there was much revelry in the town square.
- The wedding reception was a scene of joyous revelry that lasted until sunrise.
- After the victory, the streets were filled with the sounds of revelry.
- The Midsummer Night's festivities were characterised by uninhibited revelry and a suspension of the usual social norms.
- Amidst the general revelry, a few dissenting voices warned of the consequences of such excess.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine REVEL-ERS (people who revel) with a loud, joyful RY (as in 'ry' in 'cry' of joy). The word contains 'revel' inside it.
Conceptual Metaphor
CELEBRATION IS A FORCE (revelry fills the streets, spills out), ENJOYMENT IS FREEDOM FROM RESTRAINT (uninhibited revelry).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating as просто 'гулянка' or 'вечеринка', which are more neutral. Russian 'разгул' or 'пирушка' are closer in spirit, but 'revelry' is more specific and literary. Do not confuse with 'revelation' (откровение).
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'revelery'. Using it to describe a quiet, sedate gathering. Using it as a verb (the verb is 'revel').
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following scenarios best exemplifies 'revelry'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is primarily descriptive and can be used in both a positive (joyous, celebratory) and a mildly negative (excessive, disruptive) context, depending on the speaker's perspective. The surrounding words usually clarify the tone.
'Party' is a neutral, general term. 'Revelry' is more specific and literary, emphasising the noisy, lively, and unrestrained nature of the celebration. All revelry involves partying, but not all parties qualify as revelry.
No. The noun 'revelry' comes from the verb 'to revel'. You revel (verb), and your activity is revelry (noun).
No, it is not a high-frequency word in casual conversation. It is more common in writing, literature, journalism, and formal description where a vivid or precise term is needed.
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