napkin
/'næpkin/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A small piece of cloth or paper used during a meal: A napkin is a piece of material used to wipe the mouth and fingers while eating to keep them clean.
- A protective garment for infants: A napkin can also be a cloth garment fastened around a baby's waist to absorb waste.
Usage and Examples
- Noun (Table linen):
- Please place your napkin on your lap before the meal begins.
- She used her napkin to wipe the sauce from her chin.
- Noun (Infant garment):
- The baby's napkin needs to be changed. (This usage is less common in modern American English, where "diaper" is standard.)
Advanced Usage and Notes
- "Paper napkin" vs. "cloth napkin": These phrases specify the material. A "paper napkin" is disposable, while a "cloth napkin" is made of fabric and is often washed and reused.
- The fancy restaurant provided crisp cloth napkins.
- He grabbed a stack of paper napkins for the picnic.
- Formal vs. Informal Settings: Cloth napkins are typical in formal dining, while paper napkins are common for casual meals.
Variants and Related Words
- Serviette: (noun) A synonym for "napkin," more commonly used in British English.
- Diaper: (noun) The standard American English term for the absorbent infant garment. "Napkin" in this sense is now dated or regional.
- Table linen: (noun) A general term for cloth items used on a dining table, including napkins and tablecloths.
Synonyms
- For the table item: serviette, table napkin.
- For the infant garment: diaper (US), nappy (UK).
Idioms and Phrases
- To have something tucked in your napkin: This is not a standard idiom. A related, though archaic, expression is "to lay up in a napkin," which means to hide or fail to use a talent or resource, derived from a biblical parable.
- He was accused of laying his talents up in a napkin instead of using them to help others.
Noun
- garment consisting of a folded cloth drawn up between the legs and fastened at the waist; worn by infants to catch excrement
- a small piece of table linen that is used to wipe the mouth and to cover the lap in order to protect clothing