Other forms: regaled, regales, regaling
To regale is to entertain somebody lavishly with food or stories. Regale them with tales, regaled us all evening, regale the guests.
It takes with and the lavishness is built in — regaling is generous to the point of excess, which is why it is often gently mocking when the gift is anecdotes rather than dinner. Note that the French comes from a word for merriment, and is not related to regal.
1verbregaleTo entertain somebody lavishly with food or stories.
“Grandad regaled us with stories about his years at sea.”
regale is an entertaining.
French regaler comes from gale, merriment, of Germanic origin. It is not related to regal.
Old French
regale
French
régaler — to entertain, feast
English, today
regale
Built from
From French régaler (“to entertain, feast”), from Old French regale, rigale, from gale (“merriment”), probably of gem - origin (see Old French galer). Influenced by Old French se rigoler (“amuse oneself, rejoice”), of unknown origin. Compare Middle High German begalen (“to charm; enchant”), English gale (“to sing; charm”). Compare also English gala.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA