revelling

A group of friends is revelling at a lively outdoor festival.

Definition

1. Verb (present participle of revel):

   • To take great pleasure or delight: "revelling" describes the act of enjoying something intensely, often with a sense of celebration or indulgence.
   • To engage in lively and noisy festivities: This meaning emphasizes boisterous merrymaking, often involving feasting, drinking, or wild celebration.

2. Noun:

   • The act of taking great pleasure: As a noun, "revelling" refers to the state or activity of enjoying oneself in a lively, often excessive manner.

Usage Examples

• Verb (present participle):
  • She was revelling in the success of her latest novel. (She was experiencing great delight from her achievement.)
  • The crowd spent the night revelling under the stars. (They engaged in lively, festive activities outdoors.)
• Noun:
  • His constant revelling led to many late nights and tired mornings. (His frequent indulgence in merrymaking caused exhaustion.)

Advanced Usage

• "revelling in": to take special joy or satisfaction in something, often with a sense of self-indulgence.
  • He was revelling in the chaos he had created. (He enjoyed the disorder he caused.)
• "revelling with": to celebrate or enjoy oneself in the company of others.
  • They were revelling with friends at the wedding reception. (They celebrated joyfully with companions.)

Variants and Related Words

• Revel (verb): the base form, meaning to take great pleasure or to celebrate noisily.
  • They revel in the freedom of the countryside. (They enjoy it thoroughly.)
• Reveler (noun): a person who is revelling, especially at a party or festival.
  • The revelers danced until dawn. (The merrymakers danced all night.)
• Revelry (noun): lively and noisy festivities, especially involving drinking.
  • The streets were filled with revelry during the carnival. (There was boisterous celebration everywhere.)

Synonyms

• Bask in: to enjoy something pleasant or favorable.
  • He basked in the applause of the audience. (He took great pleasure in the praise.)
• Carouse: to drink alcohol and enjoy oneself in a noisy, lively way.
  • The sailors caroused in the tavern. (They drank and celebrated boisterously.)
• Delight in: to take great pleasure in something.
  • She delights in solving difficult puzzles. (She enjoys them intensely.)

Phrasal Verbs

• Revel in: to enjoy something greatly, often with a sense of indulgence.
  • The children revelled in the unexpected snow day. (They took great pleasure in the free time.)

Related Idioms

• Make merry: to enjoy oneself by eating, drinking, and celebrating.
  • They made merry until the early hours of the morning. (They revelled and celebrated.)
• Live it up: to enjoy life in a lively, extravagant way.
  • After the exams, they decided to live it up at the beach. (They revelled in their freedom.)