Definition

1. Verb:

   • To engage in boisterous, drunken merrymaking; to drink and celebrate loudly and excessively, often in a group.
   • To participate in a noisy, lively drinking party.

2. Noun (less common):

   • A bout of boisterous, drunken revelry; a merry drinking party.

Usage

• The verb "carouse" is typically used to describe the act of participating in loud, excessive drinking and celebration, often lasting late into the night. It implies a lack of restraint and a focus on revelry.
• The noun form is archaic and rarely used in modern English, with "carousal" being a more common noun form.

Examples

• Verb:

  • After the final exam, the students went out to carouse all night long.
  • The sailors would carouse in every port they visited.
  • He was fired after he was seen carousing with clients instead of preparing the report.

• Noun (archaic):

  • The tavern was the scene of a wild carouse. (This usage is now uncommon.)

Advanced Usage

• "to go out carousing": This phrase explicitly means to leave one's home or usual place to engage in drunken merrymaking.
  • The team went out carousing to celebrate their victory.
• The word often carries a slightly negative or disapproving connotation, suggesting irresponsible or excessive behavior.

Variants and Related Words

• Carousal (n): A noisy, lively drinking party or bout of merrymaking. This is the standard noun form.
  • The night descended into a raucous carousal.
• Carouser (n): A person who habitually carouses.
  • He gained a reputation as a notorious carouser.

Synonyms

• Revel: To take great pleasure or delight in a lively, noisy way.
• Riot: To behave in a wild, unrestrained way (archaic in this sense).
• Binge drink: To drink alcohol excessively over a short period (more modern and clinical).
• Paint the town red (idiom): To go out and enjoy oneself flamboyantly.

Antonyms

• Abstain: To refrain from drinking alcohol.
• Sober up: To become sober after drinking.
• Be temperate: To show moderation or self-restraint, especially in drinking.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "to carouse until the wee hours": To drink and celebrate until very early in the morning.
  • They caroused until the wee hours, singing and telling stories.
• While not a phrasal verb, "carouse" is often used with prepositions like "at," "in," or "until" to specify location or duration.
  • to carouse at the pub, to carouse in the streets, to carouse until dawn.

Noun

1. revelry in drinking; a merry drinking party

Verb

1. engage in boisterous, drunken merrymaking
   • They were out carousing last night