Definition

1. Noun:
   • A plate from which a diner eats during the main course of a meal: A "dinner plate" is a specific type of dishware, typically larger than a salad or dessert plate, designed to hold the main course of a formal or everyday meal.

Usage

• The term "dinner plate" refers specifically to the physical object, the plate itself. It is used to describe the item of crockery, not the food on it.
• It is commonly used in contexts involving table setting, dining etiquette, or dishware collections.

Examples

• Noun:
  • Please set the table with the formal dinner plates.
  • The waiter cleared the soup bowl and brought out the dinner plate with the steak.
  • She collects antique china dinner plates.

Advanced Usage

• "To have a lot on one's dinner plate": This is an idiomatic expression meaning to have many responsibilities or tasks to handle. It uses the image of a full plate of food as a metaphor for a full schedule.
  • With the new project and training the intern, she really has a lot on her dinner plate this month.

Variants and Related Words

• Plate (n): A general, flat dish from which food is eaten or served.
• Charger plate (n): A large, decorative base plate placed underneath a dinner plate during a formal table setting. The dinner plate rests on it.
• Salad plate (n): A smaller plate used for salad or appetizers, typically about 7-8 inches in diameter.
• Dinnerware (n): A collective term for the plates, bowls, and cups used for serving a meal.

Synonyms

• Main course plate: A descriptive synonym emphasizing its function.
• Entrée plate: Used in some dining contexts, particularly in North America, where "entrée" can mean the main course.

Idioms Related

• "To have a lot on one's plate": A more common variant of the idiom mentioned in Advanced Usage, meaning to be very busy or have many problems to deal with.
  • I can't take on another client; I already have too much on my plate.

Noun

1. a plate from which a diner eats during the main course of a meal