finger bowl

Thân thiện

A diner dips her fingers into a finger bowl after a meal.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A small bowl for rinsing the fingers at table: A "finger bowl" is a small bowl, often filled with water, sometimes with a slice of lemon or flower petals, provided during or after a meal for diners to clean their fingertips.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • After the lobster course, the waiter brought out a finger bowl with a lemon slice.
  • Proper etiquette requires you to dip your fingers lightly in the finger bowl and then dry them with your napkin.

Advanced Usage

• Cultural/Formal Context: The "finger bowl" is typically associated with formal dining or meals where food is eaten with the hands. It is not a drinking vessel.
  • At the state dinner, a delicate porcelain finger bowl was placed before each guest following the main course.

Variants and Related Words

• Finger bowl and doily set: A formal presentation where the finger bowl is placed on a small decorative mat (doily).
• Rinse bowl: A more generic, less formal term for a bowl used for rinsing.

Synonyms

• Rinse bowl: A bowl for rinsing.
• Hand-rinse bowl: A bowl for rinsing the hands.

Related Phrases

• To use a finger bowl: The act of cleaning one's fingers in the provided bowl.
  • She discreetly showed her guest how to use the finger bowl.

Related Idioms

Học thuật

Noun

1. small bowl for rinsing the fingers at table