MEAL


Meaning of MEAL in English

noun

ADJECTIVE

▪ big , filling , heavy

I always want to go to sleep after a heavy ~.

▪ hearty , slap-up ( BrE )

▪ gourmet ( esp. AmE ), lavish , sumptuous

▪ decent , proper , square , substantial

She hadn't had a square ~ for days.

▪ light , simple

The bar serves light ~s.

▪ meagre/meager

a meagre/meager ~ of bread and cheese

▪ four-course , three-course , etc.

▪ appetizing , delicious , excellent , lovely ( esp. BrE ), tasty

Thanks for a delicious ~.

▪ home-cooked

She has very little time to prepare home-cooked ~s.

▪ balanced , healthful ( AmE ), healthy , nourishing , nutritious , wholesome

▪ main

When do you have your main ~ of the day?

▪ evening ( esp. BrE ), midday ( esp. BrE ), noon ( AmE )

▪ hot

Hot ~s are not available after 10 o'clock.

▪ favourite/favorite

That night he made her favourite/favorite ~.

▪ vegetarian

▪ festive ( esp. AmE )

▪ Christmas , Passover , Thanksgiving , etc.

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NOTE: Meals

▪ eat …  , have … 

Have you had breakfast?

▪ take …  ( formal )

I often take lunch in the hotel bar.

▪ grab …  , snatch …  ( BrE )

Let's grab lunch.

I'm so busy I have to snatch meals when I can.

▪ come for/to …  , go for/to ~ (These verbs are often used with around (esp. AmE ), out , over and round (esp. BrE ).)

We went to Fargo's for lunch.

We're going out for dinner.

We're going out for a meal. ( BrE )

You should come over for dinner sometime.

▪ ask sb to …  , have sb for/to …  , invite sb for/to …  , take sb for/to …  (These verbs are often used with around (esp. AmE ), out , over and round (esp. BrE ).)

He wouldn't have asked me to supper if he didn't like me.

We must have you over for dinner sometime.

Let me take you out for lunch.

▪ be out to lunch

He's out to lunch with a client.

▪ stop for … 

We stopped for tea at the Ritz.

▪ join sb for …  , stay for/to … 

You're sure you won't stay for dinner?

▪ sit down to …  , start …  , finish … 

We had just sat down to breakfast when the phone rang.

▪ skip … 

I sometimes skip lunch if we're very busy.

▪ cook (sb) …  , fix (sb) …  ( esp. AmE ), get … ready , make (sb) …  , prepare … 

She hurried downstairs to fix herself some breakfast.

▪ have … ready

We'll have supper ready for you.

▪ serve … 

Lunch is served from 12.30 till 2.30.

▪ keep … warm , warm … up

I'll be home late, so keep my dinner warm.

▪ provide (sb with) … 

Dinner is provided in the superb hotel restaurant.

▪  … is available

A four-course dinner is available by prior arrangement.

▪  … is ready

‘Breakfast's ready!’ shouted Christine.

▪  … time (usually written as one word)

The family was always noisy at mealtimes.

It was lunchtime.

▪ at …  , during …  , over … 

Nobody spoke during supper.

▪ for … 

What did you have for lunch?

▪  … of

a breakfast of pancakes and maple syrup

Oxford Collocations English Dictionary.      Оксфордский английский словарь словосочетаний .