afternoon tea
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: A light meal, typically consisting of tea, sandwiches, and cakes, eaten in the mid-to-late afternoon.
Usage
The term "afternoon tea" refers specifically to the British custom of a light, social meal served between lunch and dinner. It is distinct from a larger evening meal.
Examples
Advanced Usage
- "to take afternoon tea": This phrase is often used to describe the act of having this meal, emphasizing the tradition or formality of it.
- While visiting London, we made sure to take afternoon tea at a famous department store.
Variants and Related Words
- Tea: In British English, "tea" can sometimes refer to a light evening meal. However, "afternoon tea" is unambiguously the light meal taken in the afternoon.
- High tea: This is a different, more substantial meal, often eaten in the early evening and sometimes including hot dishes. It is not a synonym for "afternoon tea."
Synonyms
- Tea (in the specific British sense of a light afternoon meal).
- Cream tea: A simpler version focusing on tea with scones, jam, and cream.
Idioms and Phrases
- "Not for all the tea in China": This idiom, meaning "not for anything" or "absolutely not," uses "tea" as a metaphor for something of great value but is not directly related to the meal "afternoon tea."
- I wouldn't do that job for all the tea in China.
Noun
- a light midafternoon meal of tea and sandwiches or cakes
- an Englishman would interrupt a war to have his afternoon tea