gravy-boat

A gravy-boat sits on the dining table next to the roast turkey.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A container for serving gravy: A "gravy-boat" is a long, narrow dish or vessel, often with a handle and a spout, specifically designed for serving gravy or sauce at the table.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Please pass the gravy-boat so I can add some sauce to my potatoes. (A vessel for serving gravy.)
  • The antique gravy-boat was made of fine porcelain. (A decorative container for gravy.)

Advanced Usage

• "to pass the gravy-boat": a figurative expression meaning to share wealth or benefits, especially in a political or business context.
  • In that company, the executives always pass the gravy-boat to themselves. (They distribute advantages unfairly to themselves.)

Variants and Related Words

• Gravy (n): the sauce made from meat juices, often served with roasted meat.
  • The roast beef was served with a rich, brown gravy. (The meat juice sauce.)
• Boat (n): a small vessel for water travel; in compound words like "gravy-boat," it refers to a container shaped like a boat.
• Sauceboat (n): a synonym for "gravy-boat," a container for serving sauce.
  • The sauceboat matched the dinnerware set perfectly. (The gravy container.)

Synonyms

• Sauceboat: a container for serving sauce or gravy.
• Gravy dish: a less common term for a gravy-boat.

Related Idioms

• To be in the same gravy-boat: to share the same situation or fortune, often used humorously.
  • We're all in the same gravy-boat when it comes to this budget cut. (We all face the same difficulty.)