tea-urn
Definition
- Noun:
- A vessel for brewing tea: A "tea-urn" is a large, typically metal container used for making and serving tea in large quantities, often found in cafeterias, restaurants, or at large gatherings. It usually has a spigot for dispensing the hot tea.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The hotel staff filled the tea-urn with boiling water and tea leaves for the conference breakfast. (A large container used to serve tea to many people.)
- She poured herself a cup from the tea-urn at the community center. (The spigot of the urn allowed her to access the tea easily.)
Advanced Usage
- "to have a tea-urn available": to provide a means for serving tea to a group.
- At the wedding reception, a tea-urn was set up for guests who preferred hot drinks. (A large tea-serving container was placed for convenience.)
Variants and Related Words
Tea (n): a hot drink made by infusing dried leaves in boiling water.
- She enjoys a cup of tea every morning. (The drink itself.)
Urn (n): a container, often with a lid and a spout, used for holding hot beverages or for storing ashes.
- The antique urn was used to serve coffee at the party. (A general container for liquids.)
Synonyms
Teapot: a smaller vessel for brewing and serving tea (typically for individual or small-group use).
- He brought a teapot to the table instead of a tea-urn. (A smaller alternative for serving tea.)
Samovar: a Russian metal urn used to heat and serve tea.
- The samovar served a similar function to a tea-urn in Eastern European cultures. (A culturally specific variant.)
Idioms and Phrasal Verbs
"to pour from the tea-urn": to serve tea from the urn.
- She poured from the tea-urn for the guests. (She dispensed tea using the urn's spigot.)
"to fill the tea-urn": to prepare the urn by adding water and tea.
- He filled the tea-urn before the guests arrived. (He readied the container for use.)
Related Idioms