Definition

Noun: 1. A cup of tea: The word "cupper" is an informal, chiefly British term for a cup of tea. It refers to the beverage itself, typically served in a cup. * Example: "I'm gasping for a cupper." * Example: "She offered to make us a quick cupper."

Usage Notes

• Register: "Cupper" is a colloquial and informal word. It is more common in spoken British English than in formal writing or American English.
• Context: It is used in casual, everyday situations to refer to the act of having or making tea. It often implies a brief, comforting break.

Examples in Context

• Noun:
  • After the long walk, nothing was better than a hot cupper.
  • "Fancy a cupper?" he asked, putting the kettle on.
  • It's time for my afternoon cupper.

Advanced / Figurative Usage

• The term is almost exclusively used in its literal sense for tea. It can sometimes imply the social ritual or short break associated with drinking tea, rather than just the liquid.
  • Example: "Let's have a cupper and a chat." (Here, "cupper" suggests the social event of drinking tea together.)

Variants and Related Words

• Cuppa (noun): This is a more common and widely recognized informal variant of "cupper," with the same meaning (a cup of tea). It is a phonetic spelling representing the casual pronunciation "cup of."
  • Example: "I'll put the kettle on for a cuppa."

Synonyms

• Brew (noun, informal, UK): A serving of tea.
  • Example: "I'll make a fresh brew."
• Cup of tea (noun phrase): The standard, neutral phrase.

Notes on Different Meanings

• The primary and almost sole meaning of "cupper" in modern English is "a cup of tea." It is not to be confused with the unrelated term "cupping," which is a form of alternative therapy.

Noun

1. a cup of tea