FEAST

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does feast mean? 

• FEAST (noun)
  The noun FEAST has 4 senses:

1. a ceremonial dinner party for many people

2. something experienced with great delight

3. a meal that is well prepared and greatly enjoyed

4. an elaborate party (often outdoors)

  Familiarity information: FEAST used as a noun is uncommon.

• FEAST (verb)
  The verb FEAST has 3 senses:

1. partake in a feast or banquet

2. provide a feast or banquet for

3. gratify

  Familiarity information: FEAST used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FEAST (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A ceremonial dinner party for many people

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Synonyms:

banquet; feast

Hypernyms ("feast" is a kind of...):

dinner; dinner party (a party of people assembled to have dinner together)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "feast"):

gaudy ((Britain) a celebratory reunion feast or entertainment held a college)

Derivation:

feast (partake in a feast or banquet)

feast (provide a feast or banquet for)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Something experienced with great delight

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Context example:

a feast for the eyes

Hypernyms ("feast" is a kind of...):

thing (an event)

Derivation:

feast (gratify)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A meal that is well prepared and greatly enjoyed

Classified under:

Nouns denoting foods and drinks

Synonyms:

banquet; feast; spread

Context example:

they put out quite a spread

Hypernyms ("feast" is a kind of...):

meal; repast (the food served and eaten at one time)

Derivation:

feast (partake in a feast or banquet)

feast (provide a feast or banquet for)

Sense 4

Meaning:

An elaborate party (often outdoors)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

feast; fete; fiesta

Hypernyms ("feast" is a kind of...):

party (an occasion on which people can assemble for social interaction and entertainment)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "feast"):

luau (an elaborate Hawaiian feast or party (especially one accompanied by traditional foods and entertainment))

potlatch (a ceremonial feast held by some Indians of the northwestern coast of North America (as in celebrating a marriage or a new accession) in which the host gives gifts to tribesmen and others to display his superior wealth (sometimes, formerly, to his own impoverishment))

Derivation:

feast (partake in a feast or banquet)

feast (provide a feast or banquet for)

• FEAST (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they feast    ... he / she / it feasts   
Past simple: feasted   
Past participle: feasted   
-ing form: feasting   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Partake in a feast or banquet

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Synonyms:

banquet; feast; junket

Hypernyms (to "feast" is one way to...):

eat (eat a meal; take a meal)

Verb group:

banquet; feast; junket (provide a feast or banquet for)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "feast"):

wine and dine (eat sumptuously)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Sentence example:

Sam and Sue feast

Derivation:

feast (an elaborate party (often outdoors))

feast (a meal that is well prepared and greatly enjoyed)

feast (a ceremonial dinner party for many people)

feasting (eating an elaborate meal (often accompanied by entertainment))

Sense 2

Meaning:

Provide a feast or banquet for

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Synonyms:

banquet; feast; junket

Hypernyms (to "feast" is one way to...):

host (be the host of or for)

Verb group:

banquet; feast; junket (partake in a feast or banquet)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

Sam cannot feast Sue

Derivation:

feast (an elaborate party (often outdoors))

feast (a meal that is well prepared and greatly enjoyed)

feast (a ceremonial dinner party for many people)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Gratify

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Synonyms:

feast; feed

Context example:

feed one's eyes on a gorgeous view

Hypernyms (to "feast" is one way to...):

regale; treat (provide with choice or abundant food or drink)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s something PP

Derivation:

feast (something experienced with great delight)

 Context examples 

Now the king felt great joy at this, and commanded that his entire household should eat with him next day, and made a great feast.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

He looked at us, as if he could never feast his eyes on us sufficiently.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Sometimes they went hungry, sometimes they feasted riotously, all according to the abundance of game and the fortune of hunting.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

He had seen her home after the bean-feast.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

We can scarce hope, said Nigel, to have all ready for our start before the feast of St. Luke, for there is much to be done in the time.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The whole feast, including digestion, takes about an hour.

(In blinding eye disease, trash-collecting cells go awry, accelerate damage, NIH)

Two easy chairs stood side by side at the head of the table, in which sat Beth and her father, feasting modestly on chicken and a little fruit.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

I again felt rather like an individual of but average gastronomical powers sitting down to feast alone at a table spread with provisions for a hundred.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

They kept this day as a holiday, then and ever after, and spent the time in feasting and dancing.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

Seals, whales and penguins all feast on shrimplike crustaceans called Antarctic krill.

(Whaling and climate change lead to 100 years of feast or famine for Antarctic penguins, National Science Foundation)