tablespoon
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A large spoon used for serving food: A tablespoon is a specific type of spoon, larger than a teaspoon or dessert spoon, commonly used for serving food at the table or for measuring ingredients in cooking.
- A unit of culinary measure: A tablespoon is also a standardized unit of volume, especially in cooking recipes, equal to three teaspoons or approximately 15 milliliters.
Examples of Usage
Noun (Utensil):
- Please pass the tablespoon so I can serve the vegetables.
- A silver tablespoon was part of the formal dining set.
Noun (Unit of Measure):
- Add one tablespoon of sugar to the mixture.
- The recipe calls for two tablespoons of olive oil.
Advanced Usage
"Level tablespoon": A tablespoonful of an ingredient where the excess is leveled off with a straight edge, providing a precise measurement.
- Use a level tablespoon of baking powder for the cake.
"Heaping tablespoon" or "rounded tablespoon": A tablespoonful where the ingredient forms a mound above the rim of the spoon.
- Add a heaping tablespoon of flour to thicken the sauce.
Variants and Related Words
Tablespoonful (n): The amount that a tablespoon can hold. Often used interchangeably with "tablespoon" as a unit of measure.
- She added a tablespoonful of vanilla extract.
Tbsp. (abbreviation): The common written abbreviation for tablespoon, especially in recipes.
- "2 tbsp. butter" means two tablespoons of butter.
Synonyms
- Serving spoon: A general term for a large spoon used to serve food (though a serving spoon is often larger than a tablespoon).
- Large spoon: A simple descriptive synonym for the utensil.
Related Phrases
- "Under the tablespoon": This is not a standard idiom. The word "tablespoon" itself is not typically used in idiomatic expressions. Its usage is almost entirely literal, relating to cooking, serving, or measuring.
Noun
- a spoon larger than a dessert spoon; used for serving
- as much as a tablespoon will hold