soup-plate
Definition
Noun: A soup-plate is a deep, wide-rimmed plate specifically designed for serving soup. It typically has a broad, flat rim and a deep, bowl-shaped center to hold liquid.
Usage Examples
- (A deep plate used for serving soup.)
- (A specialized plate for the soup course.)
- (The container from which soup is eaten.)
Advanced Usage
"to eat from a soup-plate": to consume soup using a plate rather than a bowl.
- At the banquet, guests ate the consommé from a delicate porcelain soup-plate. (They used a deep plate as the vessel for the soup.)
"soup-plate as a serving dish": sometimes used metaphorically for any large, shallow dish.
- The salad was served in a massive soup-plate at the center of the table. (A dish resembling a soup plate in shape and size.)
Variants and Related Words
Soup bowl (n): a small, deep bowl for soup, typically without a rim.
- A soup bowl is more common in casual dining than a soup-plate. (A different vessel for soup.)
Plate (n): a flat, typically round dish from which food is eaten.
- A dinner plate is shallower than a soup-plate. (A general term for a flat dish.)
Synonyms
- Soup dish: a dish designed for serving soup.
- Bowl: a round, deep container for food, though usually without a rim.
Related Idioms
"soup-plate of a hat": (informal, dated) a hat with a very wide brim, resembling the shape of a soup-plate.
- He wore a ridiculous soup-plate of a hat to the garden party. (A hat with an extremely wide brim.)
"as flat as a soup-plate": (rare) describing something very shallow or level.
- The landscape was as flat as a soup-plate, with no hills in sight. (Extremely flat terrain.)