Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Relating to food prepared to be eaten away from the premises: Describes food that is cooked and packaged for consumption elsewhere, not at the place where it was bought.

2. Noun:

   • Prepared food intended to be eaten off the premises: Food that is purchased from a restaurant or store to be consumed in another location.
   • (Bridge) A bid requesting a partner to bid another suit: A specialized term in the card game bridge for a bid that asks one's partner to name a different suit.

Usage and Examples

• Adjective:

  • We ordered takeout pizza for dinner. (We ordered pizza intended to be eaten at home.)
  • Please use the takeout entrance for pickup orders. (Use the entrance designated for collecting food to go.)

• Noun (Food):

  • Let's get some Chinese takeout tonight. (Let's buy prepared Chinese food to eat at home tonight.)
  • The restaurant's takeout is very popular. (The food from this restaurant meant for consumption elsewhere sells very well.)

• Noun (Bridge):

  • His takeout indicated he had support for my suit. (His bid asking me to choose another suit showed he had cards that could support my chosen suit.)

Advanced Usage

• As a modifier in compound nouns: While "takeout" itself is the target word, it can function attributively before other nouns.
  • The takeout container was made of recyclable material. (The container for food to go was eco-friendly.)
• Concept of "takeout food": This is the core concept of the noun, often contrasted with "dine-in" service.
  • During the pandemic, many restaurants relied on takeout to stay in business. (They depended on selling food for off-premises consumption.)

Variants and Related Words

• Takeaway (chiefly British): The common British English equivalent for the food-related meanings of "takeout".
  • I fancy an Indian takeaway. (I would like some Indian food to take home.)
• Carryout (chiefly US): A synonym for "takeout," especially common in some regions of the United States.
• To-go: An adjective or adverb phrase with a similar meaning (e.g., , ).

Synonyms

• Carry-out: Food for consumption away from the premises.
• Food to go: A descriptive phrase for takeout food.

Related Phrases

• Order takeout: The common verb phrase for purchasing takeout food.
  • I'm too tired to cook; let's order takeout.
• Takeout counter/menu/window: Specific locations or items associated with the service.
  • Pick up your order at the takeout window.

Notes on Meaning

• The primary and most common meaning relates to food service.
• The bridge meaning is highly specialized and used only in that specific card game context. In general conversation, "takeout" almost always refers to food.

Adjective

1. of or involving food to be taken and eaten off the premises
   • takeout pizza
   • the takeout counter
   • `take-away' is chiefly British

Noun

1. (bridge) a bid that asks your partner to bid another suit
2. prepared food that is intended to be eaten off of the premises
   • in England they call takeout food `takeaway'