Search for words

Refine search criteria

Choose an word from the list. Use the scroll bar to see all the words.
Fill up the form below to narrow your search. Use the scroll bar to see the submit button.
Speaker and interview
Word or expression

 

Locations Map

Search Results...

There are 5 examples displayed out of 5 filtered.

Chivaree

Parf of speech: Noun, OED Year: 1735, OED Evaluation: Alternate spelling of French 'charivari'. Can also be spelled 'shivaree' (primarily U.S., Cornwall).

A serenade of ‘rough music’, with kettles, pans, tea-trays, and the like, used in France, in mockery and derision of incongruous or unpopular marriages, and of unpopular persons generally; hence a confused, discordant medley of sounds; a babel of noise.

ExampleMeaning
Speaker: But, uh, they used to have these parties, you-know, with friends. And uh, that was the way most weddings were conducted, I-think. Interviewer: Did they have chivarees? You-know where- Speaker: No. No, there was n-- I know what you mean, but th-- I never heard- heard of anybody having it. They did that in the early days, though, really. And many people were hurt, you-know, by it, too. Interviewer: How? Speaker: Oh, I-mean the not expecting, you-know, they- but we never had any at ours. Thank the Lord.
Custom of a group of family and friends surprising a bride and groom on their wedding night. The group goes in the middle of the night to wherever the newlyweds are spending their wedding night, and creates a loud disturbance, possibly banging on pots and pans, using other noisemaking devices to startle them, with the intention of disrupting any wedding night activities. A type of minor hazing, intended for fun and humour.
ExampleMeaning
Interviewer: They never had what they call a chivaree? Speaker: Yes! B-- but all that's- was done away as of years ago. It was the last one that we had here was over across the road here. And up to two or three years ago there was an old m-- milk can in the ditch down there they'd use that night for a drum to make noise. That was about the last big one around here. Interviewer: Uh-huh. What- and what did they call that net? Speaker: It was just the chivaree. Interviewer: Chivaree. Speaker: Ah sometimes when a man be geting married the second time or-something-of-that-nature. Interviewer: What- what was the purpose of that? Speaker: Oh I- Interviewer: Just to have fun? Speaker: Couldn't see there was much purpose to it (laughs). Interviewer: (Laughs) But what- I-mean what did you use to do with the milk cart? Speaker: Oh, make all the noise we could. Interviewer: Go up to the house and the- Speaker: Go up to the house and- sometimes the man would come out and give them a bit of money and they'd go into some hotel or a stopping place or-something. Interviewer: What- you mean to- for- for drinks? Speaker: Yeah (laughs). (clears throat) At that time there was hotels every place. You didn't have to s-- go very far to get them. Interviewer: So they called- they called those little groups, ah- Speaker: Yeah. Interviewer: Ah ah what was it? A ch-- Speaker: The- ah it- just was the- was that the chivaree. Interviewer: Chivaree. That ah- wonder why they stopped doing that? I think it's- Speaker: Oh, well I don't know. Interviewer: Out of fashion? Speaker: I- yes. Oh it was kind-of foolish anyway (laughs). Interviewer: Sounds like fun. Speaker: (laughs) Yeah, well it was fun alright, but- sometimes it didn't end up too funny either. Depends on the kind of a man you were celebrating (laughs).
Custom of a group of family and friends surprising a bride and groom on their wedding night. The group goes in the middle of the night to wherever the newlyweds are spending their wedding night, and creates a loud disturbance, possibly banging on pots and pans, using other noisemaking devices to startle them, with the intention of disrupting any wedding night activities. A type of minor hazing, intended for fun and humour.
ExampleMeaning
...the young lad ah they bailed out of bed after the parents left, they bailed out of bed and they came on a chivaree with- with the rest of the kids in this neighbourhood. They ah, they came in here but Barnes knew they were coming so he had the door barred and- and ah, the one young um, lad headed...
Lynching someone by riding them on a rail, tar and feathering
Interviewer: Now, you mentioned a term that I haven't heard before. You said something like 'shi-vah-ree'? What is that-? Speaker: Chivaree. That's what they called a chivaree when they- they took tar and feathered him and rode him on a rail to Hopetown. That's what they- the term 'chivaree' was.
Lynching someone by riding them on a rail, tar and feathering
Interviewer: Now, you mentioned a term that I haven't heard before. You said something like 'shi-vah-ree'? What is that-? Speaker: Chivaree. That's what they called a chivaree when they- they took tar and feathered him and rode him on a rail to Hopetown. That's what they- the term 'chivaree' was.
Lynching someone by riding them on a rail, tar and feathering