Obs. [a. It. festino, dim. of festa FEAST sb. Hence Fr. and Sp. festin: see prec.] An entertainment or feast.
1741. H. Walpole, Lett. H. Mann (1834), I. iii. 9. How excessively obliging to go to Madame Grifoni’s festino.
1766. Sterne, Let., 5 Feb. Wks. (1872), 419/1. We have a jolly carnival of it—nothing but operas—punchinelloes—festinoes and masquerades.
1865. Leslie & Taylor, Sir J. Reynolds, II. vi. 100. There had never been more profusion and extravagance; never had the play been higher, the balls and festinos more brilliant, the masquerades madder and merrier.
attrib. 1778. Sheridan, Camp, II. iii. With festino tents, and opera pavilions.
