wake

1) A state of wakefulness, a vigil by a corpse or, as a verb, to watch over a corpse.

1542 the expenses at was made in his howse … at his wawke, Beetham

1558 I gyve to xij wedowes to wake with my body one nyght ijs, Richmond

1740 for winding and waking ... a poor vagerant woman, her name unknown, Knaresborough. The wake as a vigil came to be associated with practices which included taking food and drink and eventually with the observance of certain festivals or special occasions. More generally it was then used to describe entertainment or holidays and in the Pennine mill towns 'wakes week' was the annual holiday.

dates 1542 1558 1740

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