meal en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
Etymology
From Middle English mel, from Old English mǣl (“measure, time, occasion, set time, time for eating, meal”), from Proto-West Germanic *māl, from Proto-Germanic *mēlą, from Proto-Indo-European *meh₁- (“to measure”). Cognate with West Frisian miel, Dutch maal (“meal, time, occurrence”), German Mal (“time”), Mahl (“meal”), Norwegian Bokmål mål (“meal”), Swedish mål (“meal”); and (from Proto-Indo-European) with Ancient Greek μέτρον (métron, “measure”), Latin mensus, Russian ме́ра (méra, “measure”), Lithuanian mẽtas. Related to Old English mǣþ (“measure, degree, proportion”).
Meanings
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(countable) Food that is prepared and eaten, usually at a specific time, and usually in a comparatively large quantity.
SIR, I was thrice at Lamhith, to haue dined with the Archeb. sins your departure, and still he was to dine, at the Court or with some Bishop. But I must and will finde him assoone as I may: and rather at a meale, then otherwise, because I would haue meanes, to participat at large, about our Collation: […]
1606 February 25, Tho[mas] Bodley, “149”, in G[eorge] W[ilson] Wheeler, editor, Letters of Sir Thomas Bodley to Thomas James, First Keeper of the Bodleian Library […], Oxford, Oxon: At the Clarendon Press, published 1926, page 155:Indeed, the worthy gentleman, stimulated perhaps by the immediate prospect of being in active service, was in great spirits and good-humour; in proof whereof it may be here remarked that he humorously drank all the beer at a draught, and did not utter, on a rough calculation, more than four-score oaths during the whole progress of the meal.
1838, Boz [pseudonym; Charles Dickens], “Wherein Oliver Is Delivered over to Mr. William Sikes”, in Oliver Twist; […], volume II, London: Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, pages 15–16:2016, Melissa Clark, Consider This Permission to Eat Burrata for Dinner in The New York Timesː In this recipe, I go even further, adding a robust salad to turn a lone cheese into a satisfying summer meal.
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.
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.
Ere we will eate our Meale in feare, and ſleepe / In the affliction of theſe terrible Dreames, / That ſhake vs Nightly: […]
c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii], page 140, column 2:1796, 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.
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.
Energy has seldom been found where we need it when we want it. Ancient nomads, wishing to ward off the evening chill and enjoy a meal around a campfire, had to collect wood and then spend time and effort coaxing the heat of friction out from between sticks to kindle a flame. With more settled people, animals were harnessed to capstans or caged in treadmills to turn grist into meal.
2013 July-August, Henry Petroski, “Geothermal Energy”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 4:After the meal, he rinsed the cans they had eaten from (marveling again at his own water extravagance), and when he turned around, Jake was asleep again.
1981 February, Stephen King, “The Oracle and the Mountains”, in Edward L[ewis] Ferman, editor, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, volume 60, number 2 (whole 329), Cornwall, Conn.: Mercury Press, Inc., →ISSN, page 21, column 2:c1450, Secreta Secretorumː He that will cast meal upon meal is not able to have (a) long life.
Breakfast is the morning meal, lunch is the noon meal, and dinner, or supper, is the evening 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.
c1500, The King and the Hermitː I have been there and taken deal / And have had many (a) merry meal.
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(countable) Food served or eaten as a repast.
This is the meal pleasantly set . . . . this is the meat and drink for natural hunger, / It is for the wicked just the same as the righteous . . . .
1855 July 4, Walt Whitman, “[Song of Myself]”, in Leaves of Grass, Brooklyn, New York, N.Y.: [James and Andrew Rome], →OCLC, page 25:a1450, The Macro Playsː If thou wilt fare well at meat and meal, come and follow me.
Last spring, the periodical cicadas emerged across eastern North America. Their vast numbers and short above-ground life spans inspired awe and irritation in humans—and made for good meals for birds and small mammals.
2012 March-April, Anna Lena Phillips, “Sneaky Silk Moths”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, page 172:
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(informal, uncountable) A break taken by a police officer in order to eat.
They [tape recorders] can be turned off while officers are on meal or in the car to protect their private conversations […]
1994, Brooklyn Barrister, volume 46, page 13:“I was on meal when I heard the call on the radio and recognized the address. What the hell?”
2019, R. J. Noonan, In the Line of Fire:
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(countable, obsolete) A time or an occasion.
a1450, The York Playsː What mean ye.. to make mourning at ilk a meal?
a1450, Henry Lovelich, The History of the Holy Grailː Which was to them a sorry meal.
a1450, Henry Lovelich, Merlinː Also soon as the dragons together feal, betwixt them shall begin a sorry meal.
1481, William Caxton, Reynard the Foxː I shall do late you have so much that ten of you should not eat it at one meal.
c1500, In A Chyrchː Thou couth well weep at every meal.
a1500, Alexander-Cassamus Fragmentː Of all the day throughout, keep I no better meal than on her to think.
Ye wolde wepe at every mele; But for my sone wepe ye never a dele. You would weep at every meal, but for my son you never weep a deal.
The Lamentation of the Virgin Mary (MS. Cantab., Ff. ii., 38, fol. 47.), in: 1847, Thomas Wright (editor), The Chester Plays: A Collection of Mysteries founded upon scriptural Subjects, and formerly represented by the Trades of Chester at Whitsuntide, vol. II, p. 208f.[…] by occasion whereoff thai woll than at every mele groche with the kinge […] […] by occasion whereof they will, then at every meal, grouch with the king […]
a1400?-a1470?, in: 1999/2006, The Governance of England: Otherwise called The Difference between an Absolute and a Limited Monarchy. By Sir John Fortescue. A Revised Text edited with Introduction, Notes, and Appendices by Charles Plummer, p. 132
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| meals | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Coordinates
Deriveds
malt-o-meal · midmeal · postmeal · make a meal out of · struggle meal · Indian meal moth · family meal · cheat meal · premeal · last meal · nonmeal · microwave meal · meal maker · meal station · guestmeal · plate meal · barium meal · undermeal · enjoy your meal · school meal · full-course meal · -meal · meal ticket · intermeal · meal voucher · miss-meal colic · cat in the meal-tub · mealtime · main meal · box meal · happy meal · meal marker · mealprep · Meal Team Six · ready meal · meal deal · mealware · night meal · mealtide · packed meal · Thomas meal · daymeal · mealless · make a meal of · mealer · intrameal · meal prep · square meal
Holonyms
tradition · timetable · day · culture · schedule
Hypernyms
Hyponyms
lunch · undermeal · dinner · snack · breakfast · tea · barbecue · luncheon · picnic · undern · collation · afternoon tea · midnight feast · midnight snack · supper · andersmeat · brunch
Meronyms
Relateds
meat and two veg · meat and three · meat and potatoes · chips with everything · :Category:Meals
Synonyms
refection · meal · mese · repast
Translations (178)
eo manĝo (food that is prepared and eaten) · co pastu (food that is prepared and eaten) · th อาหาร (food that is prepared and eaten) · es vianda (food that is prepared and eaten) · hsb jědź (food that is prepared and eaten) · kk тамақ (food that is prepared and eaten) · it pasto (food that is prepared and eaten) · ay ququ (food that is prepared and eaten) · ru еда́ (food that is prepared and eaten) · ota مانجه (food that is prepared and eaten) · ne खाना (food that is prepared and eaten) · ms makanan (food that is prepared and eaten) · ja 食事 (food that is prepared and eaten) · vi bữa (food that is prepared and eaten) · cy pryd (food that is prepared and eaten) · tyv чем (food that is prepared and eaten) · af maaltyd (food that is prepared and eaten) · bg ястие (food that is prepared and eaten) · sa भोजन (food that is prepared and eaten) · mi kamenga (food that is prepared and eaten) · mn будаа (food that is prepared and eaten) · mww pluas mov (food that is prepared and eaten) · ta உணவு (food that is prepared and eaten) · non mál (food that is prepared and eaten) · rif macca (food that is prepared and eaten) · fa غذا (food that is prepared and eaten) · nb mål (food that is prepared and eaten) · bg гозба (food that is prepared and eaten) · kk ас (food that is prepared and eaten) · et söök (food that is prepared and eaten) · mt ikel (food that is prepared and eaten) · sh о̀брок (food that is prepared and eaten) · id makanan (food that is prepared and eaten) · bg я́дене (food that is prepared and eaten) · sq gatim (food that is prepared and eaten) · bg блюдо (food that is prepared and eaten) · sh је̏ло (food that is prepared and eaten) · tr aş (food that is prepared and eaten) · ab афатә (food that is prepared and eaten) · ky тамак (food that is prepared and eaten) · tzm ⵜⵉⵔⵎⵜ (food that is prepared and eaten) · uz tomoq (food that is prepared and eaten) · fi ateria (food that is prepared and eaten) · eo manĝaĵo (food that is prepared and eaten) · ga séire (food that is prepared and eaten) · pt refeição (food that is prepared and eaten) · mn хоол (food that is prepared and eaten) · pl danie (food that is prepared and eaten) · alt аш (food that is prepared and eaten) · gv lhongey (food that is prepared and eaten) · mfe repa (food that is prepared and eaten) · hi जेमन (food that is prepared and eaten) · ce даар (food that is prepared and eaten) · es pitanza (food that is prepared and eaten) · ga proinn (food that is prepared and eaten) · hu étkezés (food that is prepared and eaten) · scn manciari (food that is prepared and eaten) · la cibus (food that is prepared and eaten) · ja ご飯 (food that is prepared and eaten) · dsb jěza (food that is prepared and eaten) · xdq хуре́г (food that is prepared and eaten) · ne भोजन (food that is prepared and eaten) · gsw Mohl (food that is prepared and eaten) · az xörək (food that is prepared and eaten) · nrf r'pas (food that is prepared and eaten) · uk стра́ва (food that is prepared and eaten) · io repasto (food that is prepared and eaten) · bn হাজরি (food that is prepared and eaten) · av кванай (food that is prepared and eaten) · he אֲרוּחָה (food that is prepared and eaten) · mr भोजन (food that is prepared and eaten) · izh adria (food that is prepared and eaten) · th มื้อ (food that is prepared and eaten) · mk оброк (food that is prepared and eaten) · mn ᠬᠣᠭᠤᠯᠠ (food that is prepared and eaten) · cmn 餐 (food that is prepared and eaten) · tr yemek (food that is prepared and eaten) · ast comida (food that is prepared and eaten) · grc δόρπον (food that is prepared and eaten) · mr जेवण (food that is prepared and eaten) · os хӕрд (food that is prepared and eaten) · ccc nuka'c̈homachi (food that is prepared and eaten) · mnc ᠪᡠᡩ᠋ᠠ (food that is prepared and eaten) · tg ғизо (food that is prepared and eaten) · ka ჭამა (food that is prepared and eaten) · hy կերակուր (food that is prepared and eaten) · nah tlemolli (food that is prepared and eaten) · sv mål (food that is prepared and eaten) · uk ї́жа (food that is prepared and eaten) · ug تاماق (food that is prepared and eaten) · fo máltíð (food that is prepared and eaten) · br pred (food that is prepared and eaten) · cmn 飯 /饭 (food that is prepared and eaten) · el φαγητό (food that is prepared and eaten) · sh jȅlo (food that is prepared and eaten) · bg манджа (food that is prepared and eaten) · haw pāʻina (food that is prepared and eaten) · lv ēdiens (food that is prepared and eaten) · sl obrok (food that is prepared and eaten) · grc σιτίον (food that is prepared and eaten) · as সাঁজ (food that is prepared and eaten) · de Essen (food that is prepared and eaten) · fr repas (food that is prepared and eaten) · uz taom (food that is prepared and eaten) · hy ճաշ (food that is prepared and eaten) · ia repasto (food that is prepared and eaten) · el γεύμα (food that is prepared and eaten) · sl obed (food that is prepared and eaten) · ga béile (food that is prepared and eaten) · ca àpat (food that is prepared and eaten) · mn ᠪᠤᠳᠠᠭᠠ (food that is prepared and eaten) · ja 御飯 (food that is prepared and eaten) · chr ᎠᎵᏍᏓᏴᏗ (food that is prepared and eaten) · az yemək (food that is prepared and eaten) · ru угоще́нье (food that is prepared and eaten) · pl jedzenie (food that is prepared and eaten) · lt valgis (food that is prepared and eaten) · mk јадење (food that is prepared and eaten) · km អាហារ (food that is prepared and eaten) · vo fidäd (food that is prepared and eaten) · vi bữa cơm (food that is prepared and eaten) · ro masă (food that is prepared and eaten) · sq vakt (food that is prepared and eaten) · gl comida (food that is prepared and eaten) · hi भोजन (food that is prepared and eaten) · da måltid (food that is prepared and eaten) · bo ལྟོ (food that is prepared and eaten) · cy pryd o fwyd (food that is prepared and eaten) · be е́жа (food that is prepared and eaten) · is máltíð (food that is prepared and eaten) · haw ʻaina (food that is prepared and eaten) · ja めし (food that is prepared and eaten) · nb måltid (food that is prepared and eaten) · uz ovqat (food that is prepared and eaten) · am ምግብ (food that is prepared and eaten) · pl posiłek (food that is prepared and eaten) · rcf ropa (food that is prepared and eaten) · rm past (food that is prepared and eaten) · rup ngustáre (food that is prepared and eaten) · gd biadh (food that is prepared and eaten) · ce яахӏума (food that is prepared and eaten) · grc σίτησις (food that is prepared and eaten) · nn måltid (food that is prepared and eaten) · alt тамак (food that is prepared and eaten) · ru снедь (food that is prepared and eaten) · mhn mol (food that is prepared and eaten) · txb yesti (food that is prepared and eaten) · ang mǣl (food that is prepared and eaten) · sh òbrok (food that is prepared and eaten) · rm tschavera (food that is prepared and eaten) · ta சாப்பாடு (food that is prepared and eaten) · ko 끼니 (food that is prepared and eaten) · es comida (food that is prepared and eaten) · nah tlacualizpan (food that is prepared and eaten) · ka საჭმელი (food that is prepared and eaten) · sk jedlo (food that is prepared and eaten) · yua haanal (food that is prepared and eaten) · tr öğün (food that is prepared and eaten) · ar أكلة (food that is prepared and eaten) · nl maaltijd (food that is prepared and eaten) · ko 진지 (food that is prepared and eaten) · ru пи́ща (food that is prepared and eaten) · eu otordu (food that is prepared and eaten) · de Mahlzeit (food that is prepared and eaten) · an virolla (food that is prepared and eaten) · ko 밥 (food that is prepared and eaten) · es condumio (food that is prepared and eaten) · yi מאָלצײַט (food that is prepared and eaten) · crh aş (food that is prepared and eaten) · sv måltid (food that is prepared and eaten) · co ripastu (food that is prepared and eaten) · zdj shahula (food that is prepared and eaten) · ht repa (food that is prepared and eaten) · ko 식사 (food that is prepared and eaten) · tk nahar (food that is prepared and eaten) · ht manje (food that is prepared and eaten) · cs jídlo (food that is prepared and eaten) · ar وَجْبَة (food that is prepared and eaten)