Wassail

Origin of: Wassail

Wassail

A lovely old word, meaning to drink, party, and make merry. It dates in this sense from Middle English (from the period 1150 to1350).The OED says its usage is now archaic and historical, but it is still used lovingly by some stalwarts today. Its etymology dates back to the Old Norse ves heill meaning 'be in good heath', an ancient form of the modern toast 'cheers', which indicates that it came over with the Vikings and the Danes who gave the Anglo-Saxons such a hard time, beginning from about 850 AD and for about 200 years or so thereafter. Etymologically, the word is connected to other English words like 'hail', a greeting, and 'hale' meaning healthy and robust, all associated with drinking to one's health.