celebration
celebration — noun
1. a planned event where people come together to mark a happy or important moment b
a planned event where people come together to mark a happy or important moment by eating, drinking, dancing, or sharing time with one another
The whole village joined the celebration for the town's 100th birthday.
collocation: join / take part in a celebration
Leila and her classmates organized a small celebration after finishing their final exams.
countable: a/an + celebration
The restaurant was booked for a family celebration with thirty guests.
There was a huge street celebration when the local team won the championship.
- mourning
opposite emotional context — sadness rather than joy
文法句型
celebration + of
用法筆記
Commonly appears with 'hold', 'organize', 'throw', or 'plan' as the verb. The preposition 'for' introduces the reason (a celebration for her promotion), while 'of' introduces the occasion (the celebration of New Year).
常見錯誤
2. the process of expressing happiness or respect for a special occasion through ac
the process of expressing happiness or respect for a special occasion through actions, words, or customs, rather than through a single planned party or event
The streets were filled with music and dancing in celebration of the national holiday.
pattern: in celebration of [occasion]
A moment of silence was observed in celebration of the community's history and traditions.
The school year ended with a week of celebration that included concerts and games.
There was a great deal of celebration when the bridge finally opened to traffic.
- grief
deep sadness, the opposite emotional state
文法句型
in celebration of
用法筆記
This uncountable sense cannot take 'a' or 'an'. It describes celebration as a general concept or atmosphere. Distinguish from sense 1 (SPECIAL EVENT), which refers to a concrete, countable event. Here, 'celebration' behaves like 'joy' or 'happiness' — a mass noun.
常見錯誤
3. a spontaneous show of happiness, such as cheering, shouting, dancing, or high fi
a spontaneous show of happiness, such as cheering, shouting, dancing, or high fives, that people do right after they win, succeed, or receive good news
When the last goal went in, there were celebrations all around the stadium.
plural form: celebrations = instances of cheering
Kofi punched the air in celebration the moment he heard his results.
phrase: in celebration (showing cause)
The students burst into noisy celebrations when the exam was suddenly cancelled.
Aiko's celebration after scoring the winning point involved a cartwheel and a loud cheer.
- cheering
focuses specifically on shouting; narrower in scope
- rejoicing
more formal and less spontaneous in tone
- jubilation
stronger emotion; more literary / formal
- silence
absence of noise, the opposite of the outburst described here
用法筆記
Often used in the plural (celebrations) to describe multiple shouts or actions. Unlike sense 1, this does not imply a planned event — it is the immediate, emotional reaction to success. The phrase 'wild celebrations' is a common collocation in sports reporting.
常見錯誤
4. the formal performance of a religious ceremony or sacrament, such as Mass, bapti
the formal performance of a religious ceremony or sacrament, such as Mass, baptism, or communion, following the prescribed rituals of a faith tradition
The celebration of Easter Mass drew hundreds of worshippers to the old cathedral.
pattern: celebration of [religious event]
Father Mateo led the celebration of the baptism for three newborn babies.
The choir sang during the celebration of the evening prayer service.
Books on the table explained the meaning behind each part of the celebration of communion.
- observance
broader — can be religious or secular; more neutral in tone
- ceremony
less specific to religion; can be formal events of any kind
- liturgy
strictly Christian; refers to the prescribed form of public worship
文法句型
celebration of [sacrament]
用法筆記
This sense is restricted to religious contexts. The verb 'lead' or 'conduct' is typically used with the clergy as the subject. The object is always a specific sacrament (baptism, Mass, marriage, etc.). Distinguish from sense 1 — this is a ritual, not a social party.