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

A prosecutor’s memo describes Caddle as “cold-hearted” and says he even attended the repast after Galdieri’s funeral.

From Seattle Times

A prosecutor’s memo describes Caddle as “cold-hearted” and says he even attended the repast after Galdieri’s funeral.

From Washington Times

The prosecutor’s memo describes Caddle as “cold-hearted” and says he even attended the repast after Galdieri’s funeral.

From Seattle Times