dine
/dain/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Verb (Intransitive):
- To eat the main meal of the day, typically in the evening (dinner). It implies a more formal or substantial meal than simply "eating."
- To eat a meal, especially dinner, at a restaurant or as a guest.
Verb (Transitive):
- To provide or host a dinner for someone; to give a dinner to.
Usage and Examples
Intransitive Verb:
- We usually dine at seven o'clock. (We usually eat our evening meal at seven.)
- They prefer to dine out on weekends. (They prefer to eat at restaurants on weekends.)
Transitive Verb:
- The ambassador dined the visiting diplomats. (The ambassador hosted a dinner for the visiting diplomats.)
- I will dine my colleagues to celebrate the project's success. (I will treat my colleagues to dinner.)
Advanced Usage and Nuances
- "to dine on/off something": To have a particular food as the main part of one's dinner.
- Last night we dined on fresh lobster. (Our dinner last night consisted of fresh lobster.)
- "to dine out": To eat a meal (especially dinner) away from home, typically at a restaurant.
- Let's dine out tonight; I don't feel like cooking.
- "to wine and dine (someone)": To entertain someone lavishly with good food and drink.
- The company wined and dined the potential investors.
Variants and Related Words
- Diner (n): 1. A person who is eating a meal, especially in a restaurant. 2. A small, often informal restaurant.
- Dining (n): The activity of eating a meal.
- The dining room is ready.
- Dinner (n): The main meal of the day.
Synonyms
- Feast (v): To eat and drink sumptuously. (More elaborate than "dine.")
- Sup (v, archaic/literary): To eat supper or dinner.
- Eat (v): A more general term for consuming food.
Phrasal Verbs / Common Phrases
- Dine in: To eat a meal at home.
- We decided to dine in and watch a movie.
- Dine out on (an experience/story): To gain social credit or entertainment value by telling a story repeatedly.
- He dined out on that story of his adventure for years.
Idioms
- To dine with Duke Humphrey: (Historical idiom) To go without a meal; to go hungry.
- With no money for food, he feared he would be dining with Duke Humphrey.
Verb
- give dinner to; host for dinner
- I'm wining and dining my friends
- have supper; eat dinner
- We often dine with friends in this restaurant