meal
1 different kinds of meal
2 having a meal
see also COOK, FOOD, PARTY, RESTAURANT
1 different kinds of meal
- food which is eaten at a particular time of the day: meal; the time when you eat the meal: mealtime
The pub round the corner serves hot and cold meals. ◎ I don't like a heavy meal (= with a lot of food) in the middle of the day. ◎ to have regular mealtimes
※ the main meals of the day
- the meal that you eat when you get up: breakfast (noun C/U)
a cooked breakfast ◎ I haven't had any breakfast.
- the meal taken in the middle of the day: lunch (noun C/U), dinner (noun C/U)
a cold lunch ◎ Let's stop now - it's time for lunch.
- the small meal taken in the afternoon: tea (noun C/U)
- the evening meal: tea (noun C/U), supper (noun C/U), dinner (noun C/U)
Do you want some dinner tonight or will you be eating out?
- the time when you have breakfast, lunch, tea, dinner: breakfast time (noun U), lunchtime (noun U), teatime (noun U), dinner time (noun U)
Is it teatime yet?
※ more on breakfast BREAKFAST
Note: people in Britain use different words for the midday and evening meals depending on where they live, etc. Lunch is more commonly used than dinner for the midday meal. If the evening meal is called tea, it is likely to be eaten in the early evening. Supper is eaten later. Dinner is often used to refer to more formal evening meals.
- lunch while you are working: working lunch
I'll be having a working lunch with some colleagues today.
- lunch with people for business reasons: business lunch
- sandwiches or sth that you have brought from home for lunch: packed lunch
- a meal outdoors in the country: picnic
It's a lovely day - let's go for a picnic.
- a small meal or one with very light food such as salad: light meal
- a very small meal: snack
I'm not having a proper lunch today - just a quick snack.
- a formal dinner for a large number of people: banquet
2 having a meal
- to eat a meal: have a meal
Make sure you have a good meal before you leave - it's a long journey. ◎ Shall we have supper at seven tonight?
- to miss a meal: skip a meal
I'm skipping lunch today - I'm on a diet.
- to go out to a restaurant, etc for a meal: eat* out, go* out for a meal, (formal) dine out
We normally eat out about once a week.
Note: we use 'a' in have a meal, have a cooked breakfast, have a picnic lunch, etc; but we say have breakfast, have lunch, have tea, have dinner, without 'a'.
- a room where food is cooked and which is often used for eating meals: kitchen
Let's eat in the kitchen. ◎ to eat at the kitchen table
- a separate room which is only used for eating meals: dining room; the table in a dining room: dining table, dining-room table
※ more on kitchens KITCHEN
※ things we use when eating a meal
- a piece of cloth that you put over the table when you are having a meal: tablecloth
- a small piece of material that you put under a hot dish, plate, etc: mat
a table mat
- a piece of cloth or paper that you use when you are eating to protect your clothes or to wipe your hands or mouth: napkin, serviette
※ other things we use when eating a meal PLATE/BOWL/DISH, CUP/GLASS, KNIFE/FORK/SPOON
※ before the meal
- to cook food and/or put different foods together to make a meal: make* sth, get* sth, cook sth
Who'll make the lunch? ◎ I'll get dinner tonight.
I can't stay. I've got to go and cook the supper.
- to put the plates, etc on the table ready for eating: lay* the table
※ during the meal
- to take food from a large bowl or plate and put it onto individual plates: serve (sth) (up/out), (informal) dish (sth) up
Shall I serve out the fruit salad?
- if you want people to serve themselves during a meal, you say: help yourself, serve yourself
Help yourselves - there's plenty more in the oven.
- when you want people to start eating, you say: please start, (informal) tuck in
Come on, tuck in!
- the amount of food for one person: helping, (especially in a restaurant) portion
Who would like a second helping? ◎ They're very small portions, aren't they?
- the amount of food on a plate: plate, plateful
He was eating a large plate of chips.
※ eating and drinking EAT, DRINK
※ the parts of a meal
- one part of a meal: course
a three-course dinner
- a small amount of food (for example soup) that you eat before the main part of the meal: starter
- the main part of a meal: main course
- the sweet part of a meal: sweet, pudding, (more formal or AmE) dessert
- a type of food prepared in a particular way: dish
What a delicious dish! You must give me the recipe. ◎ an Indian dish
※ after the meal
- the food that is left at the end of a meal: leftovers (noun plural)
Put the leftovers in the fridge and we'll have them for dinner tomorrow.
- to take the plates, etc away after a meal: clear the table, clear (sth) away
I'll clear away the plates and make some coffee.
- to wash the plates, etc after a meal: wash (sth) up, do* the washing-up, do* the dishes
Shall I wash up? ◎ I hate doing the washing-up. ◎ Let's do the dishes first and then we can relax.
- to dry the plates, etc after they have been washed up: dry (sth) up, do* the drying-up
※ more on washing dishes WASH
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