bellycheer

English

Etymology

Uncertain, either borrowed from French belle chère or derived from belly +‎ cheer; either way, see cheer.

Noun

bellycheer (uncountable)

1. (obsolete) Feasting.
   • 1616, Christopher Marlowe, The Tragedy of Doctor Faustus:

     He's now at supper with the scholars, where there's such
     belly-cheer as Wagner in his life ne'er
     saw the like: and,
     see where they come! belike the feast is ended.

   • 1641, John Milton, Animadversions upon the Remonstrants Defence against Smectymnuus; republished in A Complete Collection of the Historical, Political, and Miscellaneous Works of John Milton, […], volume I, Amsterdam [actually London: s.n.], 1698, →OCLC, page 161:

     and capable onely of loaves and belly-cheer!

References

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