Meal

/ˈmiːl/ · noun

Meaning

(countable) Food that is prepared and eaten, usually at a specific time, and usually in a comparatively large quantity..

Definitions by Sense

1. (countable) Food that is prepared and eaten, usually at a specific time, and usually in a comparatively large quantity.
2. (countable) Food served or eaten as a repast.
3. (uncountable, informal) A break taken by a police officer in order to eat.
4. (countable, obsolete) A time or an occasion.
5. The ground-up edible part of various grains, used as a basis of food or feed; either flour or a coarser blend than flour (usage varies).
6. Any of various similarly granular materials prepared from other sources, such as bones or wood.
7. Any of various other granular or powdery materials, either ground by humans or occurring in nature, named figuratively after a resemblance to grain meal.
8. (intransitive, obsolete) To yield or be plentiful in meal.

Example Sentences

Breakfast is the morning meal, lunch is the noon meal, and dinner, or supper, is the evening meal.

c1450, Secreta Secretorumː He that will cast meal upon meal is not able to have (a) long life.

c1500, The King and the Hermitː I have been there and taken deal / And have had many (a) merry meal.

1535?, Dyfference Astronː But above all things beware that thou eat not till thou feel thy stomach empty and that it hath made good digestion of the first meal.

1569, Fenton, Wondersː Besides he was so fantastical and unruly in his appetites, that he used no common meats at his meals, but was fed with the combs of cocks, the tongues of peahens.

1640, Richard Brathwait, Ar't asleep Husband? A BOULSTER LECTURE, Stored with all variety of witty Jests, merry Tales, and other pleasant passages; extracted from the choycest Flowers of Phi∣losophy, Poesy, ancient and moderne Historyː Give me but so many meals, and thou shalt find me one of the strongest Turkish males that ever English gennet bore.

1796, Robert Bage, Hermsprong: or, Man As He Is Notː This letter was written whilst my hostess of the George was preparing the last meal I ever was to eat.

1835, Edgar Allan Poe, The Unparalleled Adventure of One Hans Pfaallː Puss, who seemed in a great measure recovered from her illness, now made a hearty meal of the dead bird, and then went to sleep with much apparent satisfaction.

Synonyms for meal

Antonyms for meal

Related Words

Word Forms

• meals
• mealing
• mealed

Usage Notes

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