CELEBRATE

lionize, lionise, celebrate

(verb) assign great social importance to; “The film director was celebrated all over Hollywood”; “The tenor was lionized in Vienna”

celebrate, fete

(verb) have a celebration; “They were feting the patriarch of the family”; “After the exam, the students were celebrating”

observe, celebrate, keep

(verb) behave as expected during of holidays or rites; “Keep the commandments”; “celebrate Christmas”; “Observe Yom Kippur”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Verb

celebrate (third-person singular simple present celebrates, present participle celebrating, simple past and past participle celebrated)

(transitive) To extol or honour in a solemn manner.

Synonym: fete

(transitive) To honour by rites, by ceremonies of joy and respect, or by refraining from ordinary business; to observe duly.

Synonyms: observe, keep

(intransitive) To engage in joyful activity in appreciation of an event.

(transitive) To perform or participate in, as a sacrament or solemn rite; to perform with appropriate rites.

Synonym: solemnize

Usage notes

In sense “to conduct ceremonies, to follow a custom”, generally used of festive occasions, such as Christmas and birthdays. For more solemn occasions, particularly certain religious holidays (“holy days”) and commemorations, the term observe is used instead, as in “This office will be closed in observance of Veterans Day.”

Anagrams

• erectable

Source: Wiktionary

Cel"e*brate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Celebrated; p. pr. & vb. n. Celebrating.] Etym: [L. celebratus, p. p. of celebrare to frequent, to celebrate, fr. celeber famous.]

1. To extol or honor in a solemn manner; as, to celebrate the name of the Most High.

2. To honor by solemn rites, by ceremonies of joy and respect, or by refraining from ordinary business; to observe duly; to keep; as, to celebrate a birthday. Fron even unto shall ye celebrate your Sabbath. Lev. xxiii. 32.

3. To perforn or participate in, as a sacrament or solemn rite; to solemnize; to perform with appropriate rites; as, to celebrate a marriage.

Syn.

– To commemorate; distinguish; honor.

– To Celebrate, Commemorate. We commemorate events which we desire to keep in remembrance, when we recall them by some special observace; as, to commemorate the death of our Savior. We celebrate by demonstrations of joy or solemnity or by appropriate ceremonies; as, to celebrate the birthday of our Independence. We are called upon to commemorate a revolution as surprising in its manner as happy in its consequences. Atterbury. Earth, water, air, and fire, with feeling glee, Exult to celebrate thy festival. Thomson.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition