dinner — English Dictionary

Noun

1. The main meal of the day, often eaten in the evening.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

   Examples

   I eat dinner with my family.

   I had an early dinner because the breakfast in this hostel is superb.

   1993, Mark Berry as "King Harkinian", a character in Animation Magic, Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon, Philips Interactive Media (publ.). I wonder what's for dinner.

   More examples (1)

   I want to cook dinner.

2. An evening meal.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

   Examples

   I had some friends to dinner two nights ago.

   Do I have to change for dinner?

   More examples (1)

   We're about to start dinner. Phone again later.

3. A midday meal (in a context in which the evening meal is called supper or tea).

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

   Examples

   More examples (3)

   At twilight in the summer[…]the mice come out. They[…]eat the luncheon crumbs. Mr. Checkley, for instance, always brought his dinner in a paper parcel in his coat-tail pocket, and ate it when so disposed, sprinkling crumbs lavishly[…]on the floor.

   It was already late for school, so the boy took his time and only arrived in the village when Heidi came home for dinner. […] "Come to the table now and eat with us. Then you can go up with Heidi, and when you bring her back at night, you can get your supper here."

   Breakfast was composed of a meal which reminded me of a linseed poultice; for dinner there were potatoes boiled in their jackets with beef saltier than the ocean itself. [...] Tea was something like breakfast.

4. A meal given to an animal.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

   Examples

   Give the dog its dinner.

5. A formal meal for many people eaten for a special occasion.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

   Examples

   My family gathers twice a year, namely at Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners.

   More examples (2)

   When I gave a dinner there was generally a cover laid for him. I liked the man for his own sake, and even had he promised to turn out a celebrity it would have had no weight with me.

   Soon after the arrival of Mrs. Campbell, dinner was announced by Abboye. He came into the drawing room resplendent in his gold-and-white turban. […] His cummerbund matched the turban in gold lines.

6. The food provided or consumed at any such meal.

   Usage

   • Uncountable

Verb

1. To eat a dinner.

   Usage

   • Intransitive

   Synonyms

   dine

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   Once I was geared up, I joined him on the wide, flat seat of the sled which was loaded up with hot food for the jacks who were dinnering out since they worked a forty far from the camp.

2. To provide (someone) with a dinner.

   Usage

   • Transitive

   Synonyms

   dine

   Examples

   More examples (2)

   1887, Caroline Emily Cameron, A Devout Lover, London: F.V. White & Co., Volume 1, Chapter 11, p. 181, She had taken her about to concerts and exhibitions—she had dinnered her at the Colonies, and suppered her at the New Club.

   ‘The Irish were awful anyway,’ Lady Wolseley said, ‘and their not attending the season should be greeted with relief. The dreary matrons dragging their dreary daughters about the place and dinnering up every possible partner for them. The truth is that no one wants to marry their daughters, no one at all.’

Noun

1. the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday

   Broader terms

   mealrepast

   Examples

   dinner will be at 8

   on Sundays they had a large dinner when they returned from church

2. a party of people assembled to have dinner together

   Synonyms

   dinner party

   Broader terms

   party

   Examples

   guests should never be late to a dinner party