feasting

feasting — verb

1. to eat a large amount of food with great enjoyment, often as part of a celebrati

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB2
Definition

to eat a large amount of food with great enjoyment, often as part of a celebration or special occasion

Example

The whole village gathered in the square, feasting on roasted lamb and fresh bread.

feasting on [food] for eating with enjoyment

After months at sea, the sailors feasted on fresh fruit and vegetables.

Common collocations
  • feast on + food
  • feast upon + food
  • feast all night
  • feast together
Synonyms
  • banqueting

    more formal and specifically refers to an official banquet

  • indulging

    broader; can refer to any kind of self-gratification, not just food

Antonyms
  • fasting

    deliberately going without food

Grammar Patterns

feast on [food]

Usage Note

Frequently followed by 'on' before naming the food. Can also be used purely intransitively without an object (e.g., 'They were feasting all night'). Often implies a celebratory or abundant meal, not just ordinary eating.

Common Mistakes

They were feasting pizza all night.
They were feasting on pizza all night.
When the food is mentioned, 'feast' requires the preposition 'on'.
We feasted a big dinner.
We feasted on a big dinner.
'Feast' does not take a direct object naming the meal; use 'feast on'.

2. to look at or experience something with great pleasure and appreciation — for ex

2.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

to look at or experience something with great pleasure and appreciation — for example, feasting your eyes on a beautiful landscape, a work of art, or an impressive display

Example

Lucía stood at the edge of the canyon, feasting her eyes on the red cliffs far below.

pattern: feast one's eyes on [sth] for visual enjoyment

Art lovers spent hours feasting their eyes on the paintings at the new gallery.

Common collocations
  • feast one's eyes on
  • feast one's senses on
Synonyms
  • savouring

    can apply to any sense, not just sight; slightly more gentle in tone

  • drinking in

    informal; suggests slow, deep appreciation

Grammar Patterns

feast one's eyes on [sth]

Usage Note

Almost always used in the fixed pattern 'feast one's eyes on [something]'. The possessive pronoun (my, your, his, her, our, their) must agree with the grammatical subject. Extends beyond literal sight to any sensory delight.

Common Mistakes

She feasted her eyes at the sunset.
She feasted her eyes on the sunset.
The correct preposition is 'on', not 'at'.
I feasted my eyes the mountains.
I feasted my eyes on the mountains.
Do not drop the preposition 'on'.

feasting — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four words describe enjoying food, but they differ in tone and scope. 'Feasting' is the most positive and social — it suggests a celebration with others, not just the act of eating. 'Banqueting' is more formal and usually implies a structured, indoor event with many guests, often at an official function. 'Indulging' is broader: you can indulge in chocolate alone, without any celebration at all, and it carries a slight sense of giving in to temptation. 'Gorging' is strongly negative — it means eating far too much, too quickly, with no element of enjoyment or community. If you want to describe a joyful group meal, 'feasting' is the best choice. If you mean a formal dinner, use 'banqueting'. For a more neutral or private enjoyment, 'indulging' works. Avoid 'gorging' unless the tone is critical.

feasting ↗banquetingindulginggorging

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • feast on something
  • feast one's eyes on something

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinAnglo-FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'feasting' comes from the verb 'feast', which entered English from Anglo-French 'feste' (a festival or holiday). The French form traces back to Latin 'festa', meaning 'holidays or feasts', which itself comes from 'festus' meaning 'festive, joyful, or merry'. The '-ing' suffix forms the present participle or gerund. The sense of eating elaborately existed from the earliest recorded uses, while the metaphorical meaning (feasting one's eyes) developed later in English.