bacchanalian

bacchanalian
   drunken
   Literally, anything to do with Bacchus, or Dionysus, who was the god of wine and debauchery:
    Burgess fell from grace at the Foreign Office as a result of another bacchanalian holiday trip. (Boyle, 1979 — the authorities were less vigilant about Burgess's treachery)
   A devotee, son, or priest of Bacchus is a drunkard.
   Bacchanals, a carouse, lives on in the English pub sign Bag o' Nails.

How not to say what you mean: A dictionary of euphemisms. . 2014.

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  • Bacchanalian — Bac cha*na li*an (b[a^]k k[.a]*n[=a] l[i^]*an; 106), a. Of or pertaining to the festival of Bacchus; relating to or given to reveling and drunkenness. [1913 Webster] Even bacchanalian madness has its charms. Cowper. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Bacchanalian — Bac cha*na li*an, n. A bacchanal; a drunken reveler. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • bacchanalian — (adj.) 1560s; see BACCHANALIA (Cf. bacchanalia) + AN (Cf. an). As a noun from 1610s …   Etymology dictionary

  • bacchanalian — bac|cha|na|li|an Bacchanalian [ˌbækəˈneıliən] adj literary [Date: 1500 1600; : Latin; Origin: bacchanalis of Bacchus ] a bacchanalian party involves a lot of alcohol, sex, and uncontrolled behaviour ▪ a bacchanalian orgy …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • bacchanalian — adjective literary a bacchanalian party, celebration etc involves alcohol, sex, and uncontrolled behaviour: a bacchanalian orgy …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • bacchanalian — See Bacchanalian. * * * …   Universalium

  • Bacchanalian — 1. adjective Of or pertaining to the festival of Bacchus; relating to or given to reveling and drunkenness. Even bacchanalian madness has its charms. 2. noun A bacchanal; a drunken reveler …   Wiktionary

  • bacchanalian — bac|cha|na|li|an [ ,bækə neıliən ] adjective FORMAL a bacchanalian party involves noisy and uncontrolled enjoyment and usually a lot of alcohol or sex …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • bacchanalian — UK [ˌbækəˈneɪlɪən] / US adjective formal a bacchanalian party involves noisy and uncontrolled enjoyment and usually a lot of alcohol or sex …   English dictionary

  • bacchanalian — adjective used of riotously drunken merrymaking a night of bacchanalian revelry carousing bands of drunken soldiers orgiastic festivity • Syn: ↑bacchanal, ↑bacchic, ↑carousing, ↑orgiastic …   Useful english dictionary

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