repast

[ noun ri-past, -pahst, ree-past, -pahst; verb ri-past, -pahst ]

noun

1. a quantity of food taken or provided for one occasion of eating:

   to eat a light repast.

2. a meal:

   the evening repast.

3. the time during which a meal is eaten; mealtime.
4. Archaic. the taking of food, as at a meal.
5. Obsolete. food.

verb (used without object)

1. to eat or feast (often followed by on or upon ).

repast

/ rɪˈpɑːst /

noun

1. a meal or the food provided at a meal

   a light repast

2. archaic.
   1. food in general; nourishment
   2. the act of taking food or refreshment

verb

1. archaic.
   intr to feed (on)

Word History and Origins

Origin of repast¹

1300–50; Middle English (noun) < Old French, derivative (compare past < Latin pāstus fodder) of repaistre to eat a meal < Late Latin repāscere to feed regularly, equivalent to Latin re- re- + pāscere to feed ( pasture )

Word History and Origins

Origin of repast¹

C14: from Old French, from repaistre to feed, from Late Latin repāscere to nourish again, from Latin re- + pāscere to feed, pasture (of animals)

Example Sentences

The work accelerated during Ramadan, the holy month when Muslims traditionally conduct a dawn-to-dusk fast broken by what in normal times would be a sumptuous repast.

From Los Angeles Times

Not long afterward, another male red fox entered the scene of the crime; the purloined repast had been his.

From Seattle Times

Only then is a repast of red meat served.

From Washington Post

Brunch was known as "the latest 'fad'" and "a repast at 11 o'clock a.m."

From Salon

Maybe too decadent for an office worker’s midday repast, but I’ll happily risk an afternoon knockout punch for this sandwich.

From Washington Post