Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun [capitalized] The name of a satirical journal founded in Paris in 1832.
- To treat to a charivari.
- noun A mock serenade, with kettles, horns, etc., intended as an annoyance or insult.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun A mock serenade of discordant noises, made with kettles, tin horns, etc., designed to annoy and insult; -- called also
shivaree .
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun The
noisy banging ofpots andpans as amock serenade to anewly married couple , or similar occasion. - noun Any loud, cacophonous noise or
hubbub .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun a noisy mock serenade (made by banging pans and kettles) to a newly married couple
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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Regional Note: Shivaree is the most common American regional form of charivari, a French word meaning "a noisy mock serenade for newlyweds" and probably deriving in turn from a Late Latin word meaning "headache."
The WELL: Sugaree Robert Hunter 2008
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The charivari is a custom that the Canadians got from the
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But I can tell you that a charivari is not always a joke.
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The popping of revolvers, the clanging of cow bells, the clash of tin boilers -- all that medley of discord which lends volume to the horror known as a charivari -- tore to shreds the harmony of the night.
A Man Four-Square William MacLeod Raine 1912
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The charivari is a custom that the Canadians got from the French, in the
Roughing It in the Bush Susanna Moodie 1844
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In the universities of Southern France, the marriage of resident doctors and students was also contemplated, and the statutes of the University of Aix contain a table of charges payable as "charivari" by a rector,
Life in the Medieval University Robert S. Rait
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On her first evening in Gopher Prairie Cy had appeared at the head of a "charivari," banging immensely upon a discarded automobile fender.
Main Street 1920
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On her first evening in Gopher Prairie Cy had appeared at the head of a "charivari," banging immensely upon a discarded automobile fender.
Main Street Sinclair Lewis 1918
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Dan was full of a wild idea that we should all meet them at the gate, armed with cowbells and tin-pans, and "charivari" them up the lane.
The Golden Road 1908
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It is related to other means of social control that arise in communities, such as charivari, riding the rail, and tarring and feathering.
slumry commented on the word charivari
also shivaree, which is phonetic
July 29, 2007
chained_bear commented on the word charivari
See also skimmington.
July 22, 2008