Related Searches
Nearby Words

Shivaree

 [shiv-uh-ree]   Origin

shiv·a·ree

   [shiv-uh-ree] noun, verb, -reed, -ree·ing.
noun
1.
a mock serenade with kettles, pans, horns, and other noisemakers given for a newly married couple; charivari.
2.
Informal. an elaborate, noisy celebration.
verb (used with object)
3.
to serenade with a shivaree.

:10

:09

:08

:07

:06

:05

:04

:03

:02

:01

Shivaree is one of our favorite verbs.
So is kibitz. Does it mean:
to steal or take dishonestly (money, esp. public funds, or property entrusted to one's care); embezzle.
chat, to converse
LEARN MORE FUN, UNUSUAL VERBS WITH WORD DYNAMO...
Origin:
1835–45, Americanism; alteration of Mississippi Valley French, French charivari charivari
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source Link To Shivaree
Collins
World English Dictionary
shivaree (ˌʃɪvəˈriː)
 
—n
1.  a discordant mock serenade to newlyweds, made with pans, kettles, etc
2.  a confused noise; din

charivari, esp (US) shivaree or esp (US) chivaree (ˌʃɑːrɪˈvɑːrɪ)
 
—n
1.  a discordant mock serenade to newlyweds, made with pans, kettles, etc
2.  a confused noise; din
 
[C17: from French, from Late Latin caribaria headache, from Greek karēbaria, from karē head + barus heavy]
 
shivaree, esp (US) shivaree or esp (US) chivaree
 
—n
 
[C17: from French, from Late Latin caribaria headache, from Greek karēbaria, from karē head + barus heavy]
 
chivaree, esp (US) shivaree or esp (US) chivaree
 
—n
 
[C17: from French, from Late Latin caribaria headache, from Greek karēbaria, from karē head + barus heavy]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

shivaree
1843, alteration of charivari (1735), from Fr. charivari, from O.Fr. chalivali "discordant noise made by pots and pans," from L.L. caribaria "a severe headache," from Gk. karebaria "headache," from kare "head" + barys "heavy" (see grave (adj.)).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Partners:WordBloglinesCitysearchThe Daily BeastAsk AnswersAsk KidsLife123SendoriThesaurus
Dictionary.com, LLC. Copyright © 2012. All rights reserved.
About Privacy Policy Terms of Use API Careers Advertise with Us Contact Us Help
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT
How many words do you know? FIND OUT