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charivari| French term for an uproar caused by the banging of pans and kettles, hissing, groaning, and shouting to express disapproval. A regular wedding custom in France in the Middle Ages, it was later used only at unpopular weddings, particularly of widows or widowers who were seen as remarrying too soon. Wedding charivaris were strongly opposed by the church, and in the 17th century the provincial synod of Tours prohibited them. |
| The custom still continues in some rural areas of France. It is also found in Spain, and a similar custom is found in other societies. In modern times the name, with its suggestion of satire and derision, has been used as the title of various satirical papers, including Charivari (Paris) 1832, and as a subtitle for the English humorous magazine Punch. |
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| She had heard of the indignation in the town, and knew that some of the populace was getting up a sort of charivari with music, that verses had been composed for the occasion, and that the rest of Pavlofsk society more or less encouraged these preparations. I see her yet in her raging passions, when we had driven her to extremities--spilt our tea, crumbled our bread and butter, tossed our books up to the ceiling, and played a charivari with the ruler and desk, the fender and fire-irons. "Ah," interrupted Morcerf, laughing, "Beauchamp, Beauchamp, keep that for the Corsaire or the Charivari, but spare my future father-in-law before me. |