roister

English

Etymology

From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old French rustre, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Latin rusticus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɹɔɪstə(ɹ)/
• Rhymes: -ɔɪstə(ɹ)

Verb

roister (third-person singular simple present roisters, present participle roistering, simple past and past participle roistered)

1. (intransitive) To engage in noisy, drunken, or riotous behavior.
   • 1898, J. Meade Falkner, Moonfleet Chapter 4

     Then Elzevir cried out angrily, 'Silence. Are you mad, or has the liquor mastered you? Are you Revenue-men that you dare shout and roister? or contrabandiers with the lugger in the offing, and your life in your hand. You make noise enough to wake folk in Moonfleet from their beds.'

   • 1986, John le Carré, A Perfect Spy:

     He loved Rick and gave the best years of his life, now to roistering with him, now to hanging on to his coat-tails.

2. (intransitive) To walk with a swaying motion.

Synonyms

• (engage in noisy, drunken, or riotous behavior): carouse, revel, riot
• (walk with a swaying motion): swagger

Derived terms

• roisterer
• roisterous
• roisterously

Noun

roister (plural roisters)

1. (archaic) A roisterer.
   • 1839, The New Monthly Magazine (page 411)

     The youth who had joined the roisters, was apparently about eighteen […]

Anagrams

• Terrios, rioters, storier