punch bowl
Noun: 1. A large bowl for serving beverages; usually with a ladle: A punch bowl is a large, often decorative, bowl specifically designed for serving a mixed drink called punch. It is typically accompanied by a ladle for serving.
The term "punch bowl" refers specifically to the serving vessel. It is used in contexts involving social gatherings, parties, or events where a beverage is served in bulk. - The host filled the punch bowl with a fruity concoction for the party. - A beautiful crystal punch bowl and ladle were set out on the refreshments table.
- "The punch bowl" can be used metonymically to refer to the social event itself or the point of gathering.
- Everyone was crowded around the punch bowl. (This means people were gathered at the location where the punch bowl was placed.)
- In economic slang, "punch bowl" can refer to a source of abundant liquidity or stimulus, often in the phrase "take away the punch bowl," meaning to remove supportive economic policies.
- The central bank is often said to be the one who must take away the punch bowl just as the party gets going. (This is an idiomatic extension and not the primary definition.)
- Punch (noun): The beverage itself, typically a mixture of fruit juices, soda, and sometimes alcohol, served from a punch bowl.
- Ladle (noun): A long-handled spoon with a deep bowl, used for serving liquids from a punch bowl or other large container.
- Serving bowl (noun): A general term for any bowl used to serve food or drink.
- Serving bowl: A more general term.
- Beverage bowl: A descriptive synonym, though less common.
- Wassail bowl: A historical term for a bowl used for serving spiced ale or wine, similar in function.
- Punch bowl effect: A term sometimes used in social psychology or networking to describe the phenomenon of people congregating around a central point (like a punch bowl at a party).
- To spike the punch bowl: An informal idiom meaning to add alcohol, especially surreptitiously, to a non-alcoholic punch.
The word "punchbowl" is sometimes written as a single compound word. Its core function is as a container for serving a communal drink. The related beverage, "punch," derives from the Hindi word "pā̃ć," meaning "five," for the five original ingredients: alcohol, sugar, lemon, water, and tea or spices.
- a large bowl for serving beverages; usually with a ladle