- ceremony
- noun1 formal public/religious eventADJECTIVE▪ brief, short▪ quiet, simple▪ elaborate, glittering (BrE), lavish▪ moving, solemn▪ private, public▪ formal, important, official, special, traditional▪
an official ceremony to welcome the new director
▪ inaugural (esp. AmE), opening▪the opening ceremony of the Olympics
▪ closing▪ awards, presentation, prize-giving (esp. BrE)▪ civil-partnership (in the UK), commitment (AmE), marriage, wedding▪a same-sex commitment ceremony
▪ civil, religious▪ coming-of-age, naming, retirement (AmE)▪ burial (esp. AmE), funeral, memorial, wreath-laying▪ commencement (AmE), degree, graduation▪ inauguration, induction, initiation, signing, swearing-in▪ groundbreaking (= to mark the beginning of construction of a new building)▪ dedication, flag-raising (AmE), ribbon-cutting, unveiling▪ tea▪the Japanese tea ceremony
VERB + CEREMONY▪ conduct, officiate (AmE), officiate at, perform▪The marriage ceremony was performed by the bishop.
▪ hold, host▪ attend, be present at, take part inCEREMONY + VERB▪ take place▪ commemorate sth, honour/honor sb/sth, mark sth▪a special ceremony to mark the opening of the festival
PREPOSITION▪ at a/the ceremony▪Many dignitaries were present at the ceremony.
▪ during a/the ceremony▪A lot of people wept during the funeral ceremony.
▪ in a/the ceremony▪They were married in a simple ceremony.
2 formal/traditional actions and wordsVERB + CEREMONY▪ stand on (esp. BrE)▪I won't stand on ceremony (= be formal).
PREPOSITION▪ without ceremony▪It was done quickly and without ceremony.
PHRASES▪ pomp and ceremony▪the pomp and ceremony of a royal wedding
▪ with great ceremony▪She was buried with great ceremony in the Abbey.
Collocations dictionary. 2013.