meal

/'mi:l/

Thân thiện

The family sits down to enjoy a meal together.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A coarsely ground foodstuff: Refers to edible grains or seeds that have been crushed or ground, but not into a fine powder.
   • An occasion for eating: One of the customary daily eating events, such as breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
   • The food consumed at one such occasion: The specific food served and eaten at a single sitting.

Examples

• Noun (Coarsely ground foodstuff):
  • The farmer bought a bag of corn meal to feed the animals.
  • Oatmeal is a popular breakfast made from ground oats.
• Noun (Eating occasion):
  • We have three main meals a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
  • The family always gathers for the evening meal.
• Noun (Food served at one time):
  • She prepared a delicious meal of roasted chicken and vegetables.
  • The restaurant offers a special three-course meal.

Advanced Usage

• "to make a meal of (something)": To spend an excessive amount of time or effort on a task, often more than is necessary.
  • He really made a meal of that simple repair; it took him all afternoon.
• "square meal": A substantial and satisfying meal that is nutritionally complete.
  • After hiking all day, I was ready for a good square meal.

Variants and Related Words

• Mealtime (n): The usual time at which a meal is eaten.
  • During mealtime, we turn off the television and talk.
• Mealy (adj): Having a soft, dry, and crumbly texture like meal; or (of a potato) dry and floury.
  • The apple had a mealy texture, so I didn't enjoy it.

Synonyms

• Repast: A meal (more formal).
• Feast: A large and elaborate meal, often for a celebration.
• Spread: An impressive array of food laid out for a meal (informal).

Related Phrases

• Meal ticket: A person or thing that is a source of financial support.
  • He saw his sports career as his meal ticket out of poverty.
• Meal deal: A combination of food items (e.g., a sandwich, drink, and snack) sold together at a set price.
  • I often get the supermarket meal deal for lunch.

Idioms

• "to be someone's meat and drink": To be something that someone enjoys or is very interested in. (Note: This idiom uses "meat," not "meal," but is related to the concept of sustenance and enjoyment).
  • Political debate is his meat and drink.

Học thuật

Noun

1. coarsely ground foodstuff; especially seeds of various cereal grasses or pulse
2. any of the occasions for eating food that occur by custom or habit at more or less fixed times
3. the food served and eaten at one time

Từ đồng nghĩa

• repast