Orgies, secret rites or customs connected with the worship of some of the pagan deities; as the secret worship of Demeter, and the festival of Dionysus, which was accompanied with many customs of mystic symbolism, and much license. From this latter accident comes obviously the modern sense of drunkenness and debauchery implied in the word. See MYSTERIES.
Orgies
Chambers's Encyclopaedia, Volume 7: Maltebrun to Pearson, p. 640
Source scan(s): p. 0653