regale
UK[rɪˈɡeɪl]US[rɪˈɡeɪl]
v
To entertain or amuse someone with talk or stories.
v
To provide someone with generous amounts of food or drink.
Morpheme Breakdown
re
gale
re
again, back, or intensification
gale
pleasure, merriment
Etymology
The word "regale" entered English in the mid-17th century from the French verb 'régaler', which meant "to entertain lavishly, to feast". The French term itself was built from the prefix 're-' (expressing intensive force) and the root related to Old French 'gale' ("pleasure, festivity"). This root is thought to be of Germanic origin, possibly related to concepts of merriment and celebration. The literal sense of providing a lavish feast evolved to include the more abstract meaning of entertaining someone with enjoyable conversation or amusement, capturing the essence of providing pleasure.
Analysis
Structure: re + gale
- re: Latin origin, a prefix meaning "again, back, or intensification".
- gale: French origin (from Old French 'gale' meaning "pleasure, merriment"), derived from the verb 'galer' meaning "to make merry, to amuse oneself".
Examples
He would regale his grandchildren with tales of his adventures abroad.
The guests were regaled with a magnificent seven-course banquet.
She regaled the audience with hilarious anecdotes from her early career.