merrymaking
drinking, celebrating, having fun
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
In the northern Indian state of Punjab, where Sikhs are in a majority, the Baisakhi festival also signals the start of the harvest season and is in general a time of much joy and MERRYMAKING.
(BBC News)
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An alternative is to base yourself in one of the surrounding villages so you can pop into the city for a short, sharp blast of MERRYMAKING, before retreating to the peace and quiet of the hills.
(The Guardian)
(BBC News)
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An alternative is to base yourself in one of the surrounding villages so you can pop into the city for a short, sharp blast of MERRYMAKING, before retreating to the peace and quiet of the hills.
(The Guardian)
Did you
know?
merrymaking
noun
- fun, festivity
(Oxford English Dictionaries)
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Merrymaking is a compound word comprised of "merry" and "make" and is simply the noun form of the expression "to make merry," meaning to party and have fun. Those who participate in merrymaking are of course called merrymakers.
The adjective merry has a long history in English. Most non-native speakers will recognize it from the holiday greeting "merry Christmas" or perhaps from merry-go-round, which is a children’s carousel. Merry-go-round is also used in a figurative sense to describe a set of similar activities that can seem boring. Merry furthermore appears in the British expression "to lead someone a merry dance," which means to cause someone a lot of trouble, especially by getting them to do a lot of things that are not necessary.
Merry derives from the Old English "myrge" (pleasing, agreeable, pleasant, sweet, melodiously), which in turn came from the Proto-Germanic "murgijaz," which probably meant "short-lasting." The connection to pleasure is likely from the notion of making time go by fast or pass quickly. Old English also had a verb form "myrgan," to be merry, rejoice.
(source: Online Etymology Dictionary)
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SYNONYMS
celebration, party, merriment, amusement, festivity, fun, fun and games, hoopla, revelry, shindig, wingding
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SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"New Year’s eve is my favourite time for merrymaking."
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Thanks to Birgit for suggesting today's word!
noun
- fun, festivity
(Oxford English Dictionaries)
---
Merrymaking is a compound word comprised of "merry" and "make" and is simply the noun form of the expression "to make merry," meaning to party and have fun. Those who participate in merrymaking are of course called merrymakers.
The adjective merry has a long history in English. Most non-native speakers will recognize it from the holiday greeting "merry Christmas" or perhaps from merry-go-round, which is a children’s carousel. Merry-go-round is also used in a figurative sense to describe a set of similar activities that can seem boring. Merry furthermore appears in the British expression "to lead someone a merry dance," which means to cause someone a lot of trouble, especially by getting them to do a lot of things that are not necessary.
Merry derives from the Old English "myrge" (pleasing, agreeable, pleasant, sweet, melodiously), which in turn came from the Proto-Germanic "murgijaz," which probably meant "short-lasting." The connection to pleasure is likely from the notion of making time go by fast or pass quickly. Old English also had a verb form "myrgan," to be merry, rejoice.
(source: Online Etymology Dictionary)
---
SYNONYMS
celebration, party, merriment, amusement, festivity, fun, fun and games, hoopla, revelry, shindig, wingding
---
SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"New Year’s eve is my favourite time for merrymaking."
---
Thanks to Birgit for suggesting today's word!
