slop bowl

Thân thiện

A butler discreetly empties a teacup into the slop bowl on the dining table.

Definition

Noun: A small bowl, often part of a tea or coffee set, placed on the table to receive the leftover liquid (dregs) from cups before a fresh cup is poured. It is used for discarding cold or unwanted tea or coffee.

Usage

The slop bowl is a functional item used during a tea or coffee service to maintain tidiness. It is not for drinking from, but for collecting waste liquid. - Please pass the slop bowl; my cup has some cold tea at the bottom. - In a traditional tea set, the slop bowl is often matched to the teapot and cups.

Advanced Usage

• Historical Context: In the 18th and 19th centuries, slop bowls were an essential part of polite tea-drinking etiquette, especially when tea was a precious commodity and cups were often rinsed with hot water between servings.
• Collector's Item: Antique slop bowls are now collected as part of vintage china sets.

Variants and Related Words

• Slop basin: A less common synonym for slop bowl.
• Waste bowl: A more modern, descriptive term for the same item.

Synonyms

• Waste bowl
• Slop basin

Related Phrases/Idioms

(This word is a specific object and is not typically used in idioms or phrasal verbs.)

Học thuật

Noun

1. a bowl into which the dregs of teacups and coffee cups are emptied at the table

Từ đồng nghĩa

• slop basin