jubile

Noun

jubilee (countable and uncountable, plural jubilees)

1. (Jewish, countable) A special year of emancipation supposed to be observed every fifty years, when farming was temporarily stopped, certain houses and land which had been sold could be redeemed by the original owners or their relatives, and Hebrew slaves set free.
   • And thou ſhalt number ſeuen Sabbaths of yeeres vnto thee, ſeuen times ſeuen yeeres, and the ſpace of the ſeuen Sabbaths of yeeres, ſhall be vnto thee fourtie and nine yeeres. Then ſhalt thou cauſe the trumpet of the Jubile to ſound, on the tenth day of the ſeuenth moneth, in the day of atonement...1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Leviticus 25:8–10, column 2
2. (broadly) A special year (originally held every hundred years, then at more frequent intervals, and now declarable by the Pope at any time and also for periods less than a year) in which plenary indulgences and remission from sin can be granted upon making a pilgrimage to Rome or other designated churches.
3. (broadly) A major anniversary of an event, particularly the fiftieth (50th) anniversary of a coronation or marriage.
   • [A] married couple, when celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of their marriage-day, are said to keep their golden jubilee, but on the 25th anniversary they have credit only for a silver jubilee.1853, Thomas De Quincey, “The Female Infidel”, in Autobiographic Sketches (De Quincey’s Works; I), London: James Hogg & Sons, →OCLC, footnote *, page 131
4. (countable, figuratively) A time for release or restitution.
   • [T]hough it be in the povver of the vveakeſt arme to take avvay life, it is not in the ſtrongeſt to deprive us of death: […] the firſt day of our Jubilee is death; the Devill hath therefore failed of his deſires; vvee are happier vvith death than vve ſhould have been vvithout it: there is no miſery...1642, Tho[mas] Browne, “The First Part”, in Religio Medici. […], 4th edition, London: […] E. Cotes for Andrew Crook […], published 1656, →OCLC, section 44, page 94
5. (countable, figuratively) A time of celebration or rejoicing.
   • But you firſt ſhall taſte / The bounty of our Court, with royall Preſents / Both to the Duke your maſter, and the Princeſſe; / It done, prepare we for this great ſolemnity, / Of Hymeneall Iubilies.1634, Thomas Heywood, “A Pleasant Comedy, Called A Mayden-head Well Lost. […]”, in The Dramatic Works of Thomas Heywood […], volume IV, London: John Pearson […], published 1874, →OCLC, Act III, page...
6. (figuratively, uncountable) Exultation, rejoicing; jubilation.
   • Hee cauſed his little Sonne to goe vvith great State to Sandai to the Dairi, that is, to bovv the head thrice before him dovvne to the Mats, vvho entertayned him vvith a ſolemne feaſt, vvith great Iubilee in alteration of names and titles of honour to the Nobles.1625, [Samuel] Purchas, “A General Collection and Historicall Representation of the Iesuites Entrance into Iapon and China, untill Their Admission in the Royal Citie of Nanquin”, in Purchas His...

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