[a. F. fête: see FEAST sb.]
1. A festival, an entertainment on a large scale.
1754. H. Walpole, Lett. (1857), II. 308. They were pressed to stay for the great fête at St. Cloud.
1779. Sheridan, Critic, III. Wks. 1873, II. 184. I suppose Thames and all his tributary rivers, to compliment Britannia with a fête in honour of the victory.
1818. Byron, Mazeppa, iv.
| And then he gave prodigious fêtes— | |
| All Warsaw gathered round his gates | |
| To gaze upon his splendid court, | |
| And dames, and chiefs, of princely port. |
a. 1839. Praed, Poems (1864), I. 212, ‘Lidian’s Love,’ xvi.
| And titled dames gave fêtes upon the water, | |
| To introduce him to their angel daughter. |
1849. Thackeray, Pendennis, i. To see that his name was down among the guests at my Lord So-and-so’s fête.
2. The festival of the saint after whom a person is named; in Roman Catholic countries observed as the birthday is in England.
1840. Thackeray, Paris Sk.-bk. (1869), 143. It is the fête of little Jacob yonder, whose brothers and sisters have all come from their schools to dance at his birthday.
1877. [see 3].
3. attrib., as fête-day; also fête-contractor, one who contracts to provide a fête or entertainment.
1817. J. Scott, Paris Revisit. (ed. 4), 270. The towns of France have all their particular fête days.
1877. J. T. Fields, Underbrush (1881), 224. A Councillor of the Parliament, sent her on her fête-day, a bouquet.
1885. Mabel Collins, The Prettiest Woman in Warsaw, viii. Life was like one long fête day. She was absolutely happy at home.
1886. York Herald, 7 Aug., 2/5. Public caterer, decorator, and fête contractor.
Hence Fêteless a., having no fête.
1861. Cunningham, Wheat & Tares, 50. The poor fêteless children haunted him.
