Regale

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /ɹɪˈɡeɪl/

Definitions

1. To delight others by narrating entertaining tales or offering extravagant hospitality
2. To captivate an audience through amusing storytelling or by providing generous feasts
3. To provide someone with plentiful food and drink in an enjoyable way ; to engage others by telling amusing or interesting stories

Etymology: The verb "regale" once meant something closer to a feast than a story. It came into English from French "régaler", which meant "to entertain" or "to feast", and that French word traces back through Old French "regale" and "rigale" to "gale", meaning merriment. The "gale" element is probably Germanic in origin, and it is related to the English "gale" in the old sense of singing or charming, and to "gala", the festive occasion. The modern sense of entertaining someone with stories came by way of the older idea of lavishly providing for a guest. Over time the emphasis shifted from the food and drink to the pleasure of the company, so that to regale someone now means to amuse them with talk, usually anecdotes or tales. The word also picked up some influence from Old French "se rigoler", meaning to amuse oneself, which is of unknown origin, and this helped reinforce its sense of cheerful amusement.

Synonyms: entertain, amuse