Definition

Noun: 1. (Judaism) A scroll of parchment containing the biblical Book of Esther, which is traditionally read aloud in synagogues during the festival of Purim. 2. (Informal, from Yiddish) A long, involved, tedious, or overly detailed story, account, or explanation.

Usage

• Literal (Religious) Usage:
  • The rabbi carefully unrolled the megillah to read the story of Esther.
• Figurative (Informal) Usage:
  • He told me a whole megillah about why he was late, complete with every minor detail.
  • I asked for a simple summary, not the entire megillah.

Advanced Usage

• "The whole megillah": This is a very common idiomatic phrase meaning "the entire long, complicated story" or "everything involved."
  • She didn't just explain the problem; she gave us the whole megillah about its history and potential solutions.

Variants and Related Words

• Megilloth (plural): The plural form, often referring collectively to the five scrolls (Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, and Esther) read in Jewish liturgy.
• Megillat Esther: The specific, full Hebrew name for the Scroll of Esther.

Synonyms

• Saga: A long story of heroic achievement or a series of incidents.
• Chronicle: A factual written account of important or historical events in the order of their occurrence.
• Yarn: (Informal) A long or rambling story, especially one that is implausible.

Related Idioms

• "The whole nine yards": (Informal) The entirety of something; everything possible or available. (Similar in meaning to "the whole megillah").
• "A long-winded account": A description given in a tedious, lengthy manner.

Noun

1. (Judaism) the scroll of parchment that contains the biblical story of Esther; traditionally read in synagogues to celebrate Purim
2. (Yiddish) a long boring tediously detailed account
   • he insisted on giving us the whole megillah