Dictionary

gravy boat en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio

Meanings

1. A dish with a handle and spout, used to serve gravy or other sauces.
2. (figuratively) A source of easily obtained money or benefits.
   • Everybody had climbed aboard the "gravy boat”—except the landlord; and he wanted to get in, too. 1949, United States. Congress, Congressional Record:
   • This herd behavior in not wanting to miss the gravy boat led to a collective lowering of standards that ended with the 2008 financial implosion. 2011, Albino Barrera, Market Complicity and Christian Ethics, page 154:
   • Not only have suggestions for their elimination evoked a great hue and cry of protest, but other pressure groups are plugging diligently in an effort to get aboard the "gravy boat." 1946, The Magazine of Wall Street and Business Analyst:
   • Through drawing attention to that, many organisations which had never previously put in an application for assistance had tried to get on the gravy boat. 1963, New Zealand. Parliament, Parliamentary Debates - Volume 332, page 2086:

Forms

Synonyms

sauceboat · gravy train

Translations (20)

sv såssnipa (dish for gravy) · pl sosjerka (dish for gravy) · uk со́усниця (dish for gravy) · pt molheira (dish for gravy) · af souskom (dish for gravy) · de Soßenschüssel (dish for gravy) · is bátlaga ílát (dish for gravy) · et kastmekann (dish for gravy) · fr saucière (dish for gravy) · el σαλτσιέρα (dish for gravy) · nl juskom (dish for gravy) · fi kastikekannu (dish for gravy) · be соўснік (dish for gravy) · de Sauciere (dish for gravy) · ru со́усница (dish for gravy) · bg сосиера (dish for gravy) · tr sosluk (dish for gravy) · ru со́усник (dish for gravy) · it salsiera (dish for gravy) · nl sauskom (dish for gravy)