feast

Etymology 1

From Middle English feeste, feste, borrowed from Old French feste, from Late Latin festa, from the plural of Latin festum (“holiday, festival, feast”), from Proto-Italic *fēs-tos, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰéh₁s (“god, godhead, deity”); see also Ancient Greek θεός (theós, “god, goddess”). More at theo-. Doublet of fete, fiesta, and fest.

noun

1. A very large meal, often of a ceremonial nature.
   We had a feast to celebrate the harvest.
2. Something delightful
   It was a feast for the eyes.
3. A festival; a holy day or holiday; a solemn, or more commonly, a joyous, anniversary.

Etymology 2

From Middle English feesten, festen, from Old French fester, from Medieval Latin festāre, from the noun. See above.

verb

1. (intransitive) To partake in a feast, or large meal.
   I feasted on turkey and dumplings.
2. (intransitive) To dwell upon (something) with delight.
3. (transitive) To hold a feast in honor of (someone).
   We feasted them after the victory.
4. (transitive, obsolete) To serve as a feast for; to feed sumptuously.
   1597–1598, Joseph Hall, Virgidemiarum Or once a week, perhaps, for novelty / Reez'd bacon-soords shall feast his family.