regale
verbEtymology From French régaler (“to entertain, feast”), from Old French regale, rigale, from gale (“merriment”), probably of Germanic origin (see Old French galer). Influenced by Old French se rigoler (“amuse oneself, rejoice”), of unknown origin. Compare Middle High German begalen (“to charm; enchant”), English gale (“to sing; charm”). Compare also English gala.
1
To please or entertain (someone), especially with stories, tales or jokes.
- Please, regale us with your best tales!
- You’ve Got Mail is certainly the basic model for the plot, which finds corporate candy shill Joel ([Paul] Rudd) and indie-sweetshop owner Molly ([Amy] Poehler) regaling their dinner companions with the very long, digressive story of how they met and fell in love.2014 June 26, A. A. Dowd, “Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler Spoof Rom-com Clichés in They Came Together”, in The A.V. Club, archived from the original on 07 Dec 2017:
2
To provide hospitality for (someone); to supply with abundant food and drink.
3
Obsolete To feast (on, with something).
- she hardly lets a Week pass without making the Lady Abbess and her Nuns a Visit, to regale with a Cup of burnt Brandy.1723, Charles Walker, Memoirs of Sally Salisbury, section V:
4
Figuratively To entertain with something that delights; to gratify; to refresh.
- to regale the taste/the eye/the ear
- Derived terms
- regalement, regaler, unregaled