Wake

Wake meaning to stay awake all night as a vigil for a corpse dates from the late 1300s/early 1400s. It was customary in those days to perform this vigil as a sign of respect for the deceased. Today the custom is retained mainly amongst the Irish where the all-night vigil is accompanied by revelry, celebrating the deceased’s life rather death. Wake as in the track or trail left by a ship dates from the 1500s.