church-ale

English

Alternative forms

churchale
church ale

Etymology

From Middle English cherche ale.

Noun

church-ale (countable and uncountable, plural church-ales)

(historical) A church or parish festival (as in commemoration of the dedication of a church), at which much ale was drunk.
- 1683, John Keble, An Assistance to Justices of the Peace […] :
  If many be at an Alehouse , a Christmaſſe dinner, or Churchale, and ( without any intention of an Affray) they ſodainly fall together by the eares […]
The strong ale brewed for this purpose.

References

“church-ale”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.

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