love feast

noun

1. a social gathering intended to create goodwill among the participants

• Hypernyms: ↑social gathering, ↑social affair

2. a religious meal shared as a sign of love and fellowship

• Syn: ↑agape

• Hypernyms: ↑religious ceremony, ↑religious ritual

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noun

: a meal eaten in common in token of brotherly love: as

a. : agape II 1

b. : a modern religious service in imitation of the ancient agape

c. : a banquet, gathering, or celebration held to reconcile differences and promote good feeling or show someone affectionate honor

hotel lobbies were crowded with milling politicians as the annual love feast of the Kansas Republicans drew near — Emporia (Kans.) Gazette

the affair was a love feast, garnished with the floral offerings, the numberless recalls, the encores, and all the rest — Musical America

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1. (among the early Christians) a meal eaten in token of brotherly love and charity; agape.

2. a rite in imitation of this, practiced by a number of modern denominations; a fellowship meal.

3. a banquet or gathering of persons to promote good feeling, restore friendly relations, honor a special guest, etc.

[1570-80]

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love feast noun

The agape, or a religious feast in imitation of it

• • •

Main Entry: ↑love

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love feast,

1. a meal eaten together by the early Christians as a symbol of brotherly love, apparently originally in connection with the Eucharistic celebration.

2. a religious ceremony imitating this.

3. any banquet or other gathering to promote good feeling: »

There will be a great Democratic love feast in which a thousand Democratic editors will take part (Charleston News and Courier).

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n. historical a feast in token of fellowship among early Christians; an agape

■ a religious service or gathering imitating this, esp. among early Methodists