Also 9 carrousel. [a. F. carrousel, ad. It. carosello, garosello ‘a kind of joust or feat on horseback.’ Littré takes It. carosello or garosello as dim. of garoso, quarrelsome, contentious, f. gara quarrel, strife; but this is doubtful, and possibly the etymological form was carrosello, from carro chariot.)]
‘A tournament in which knights, divided into companies (quadrilles) distinguished by their liveries and dresses, engaged in various plays and exercises; to this were often added chariot races, and other shows and entertainments’ (Littré).
1650. Marvell, Death Ld. Hastings. Before the Crystal Palace where he dwells The Armed Angels hold their Carousels.
1686. Lond. Gaz., No. 2117/4. A great carousel is preparing here [Paris] against Easter.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Æneid, V. (1806), III. 131. This Game, these Carousels Ascanius taught.
1753. Hanway, Trav. (1762), I. VII. xc. 414. The carousel, the expence of which amounted to seventy thousand crowns.
1839. G. P. R. James, Louis XIV., III. 27. Those carousels and mock-fights.
1865. Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., VI. XVI. 187. Carrousel … is, in fact, a kind of superb betailored running at the ring.
¶ Many writers employing the word historically, have erroneously identified it with carousal.
1709. Steele, Tatler, No. 33, ¶ 10. A Carousal, wherein many of the Youth of the first Quality … ran for the Prize.
1762. Hume, Hist. Eng. (1806), IV. l. 35. His fine taste in dress, festivals, and carousals.
1774. T. Warton, Hist. Eng. Poetry (1840), II. 28. A royal carousal given by Charles the Fifth of France to the Emperor.
1823. Lingard, Hist. Eng., VI. 23. The young king loitered for weeks at Calais, spending his time in carousals and entertainments.
1858. Planché, D’Aulnoy’s Fairy T., 440. After which, there were ballets, carousals, and a thousand other things.
