silverware

Thân thiện

The family sets the table with silverware for dinner.

Definition

silverware (noun) 1. Utensils for eating or serving food: Refers to flatware, cutlery, or hollowware (like bowls or pitchers) traditionally made from silver, silver plate, or other metals with a similar appearance, such as pewter or stainless steel. It is used for dining and food service.

Usage

• The word "silverware" is commonly used as a general term for eating utensils (forks, knives, spoons) in American English, even when they are not made of silver.
• It can also refer to more formal serving pieces, often kept for special occasions.
• The term emphasizes the material or the appearance of the items, grouping them by their common property rather than their individual function.

Examples

• General Use: "Please set the table with the clean silverware." (This likely refers to everyday stainless steel forks, knives, and spoons.)
• Formal/Valued Items: "She inherited her grandmother's antique silverware." (This implies items made of silver or silver plate, possibly including serving pieces.)
• Material Specification: "The restaurant uses high-quality stainless steel silverware."

Advanced Usage

• "The family silverware": A phrase often used to denote valuable heirloom pieces passed down through generations, implying they are made of real silver.
• In sports, particularly in the U.S., "silverware" is sometimes used informally to refer to trophies, which are often made of or resemble silver.

Variants and Related Words

• Flatware (noun): A more modern and general term for eating utensils (forks, knives, spoons), which may or may not be made of metal. Often used interchangeably with "silverware" in a non-silver context.
• Cutlery (noun): Primarily refers to knives and other cutting instruments, but in British English, it is the common term for eating utensils.
• Holloware or Hollowware (noun): Refers to items like bowls, teapots, trays, and pitchers, as opposed to flatware. These can be part of a set of silverware.

Synonyms

• Flatware
• Cutlery (context-dependent)
• Eating utensils
• Tableware (broader term that includes dishes and glasses)

Antonyms

• There is no direct antonym, but contrasting terms could include plasticware (utensils made of plastic) or disposables.

Notes on Meaning

The core meaning relates to utensils made of a specific type of metal (silver or similar). However, in everyday American English, its meaning has broadened to become a standard term for metal eating utensils regardless of the actual material, demonstrating a shift from a material-based definition to a functional one. The original, more precise meaning is still used when discussing valuable or formal sets.

Học thuật

Noun

1. tableware made of silver or silver plate or pewter or stainless steel