dine and dash
To eat at a restaurant but leave before paying the bill. A: "We can't just dine and dash!" B: "Well, we both forgot our wallets, so what other choice do we have?" Did that man just dine and dash? Stop him! The date was already going poorly, so the guy didn't do himself any favors when he suggested we dine and dash.
dine at (some place)
To eat somewhere, often a place other than one's home, such as at a restaurant. We dined at our favorite restaurant tonight because neither of us felt like cooking. Let's dine out at Frankie's Trattoria—they make a great margherita pizza. If you really like this girl, you can't be cheap on your date. You've got to dine at some place nice!
dine in
To eat at one's home, as opposed to eating at a restaurant ("dining out"). Neither of us felt like going out, so we dined in tonight. I know the kids don't want to dine in, but I'm too tired to go out to eat. No, we're dining in—Mom made lasagna.
dine off (something)
To eat something, often for several meals. I made so much lasagna that we can dine off it all week. Here, take some of these leftovers home and dine off them for a few days. I actually don't like cooking very much, so I usually make big batches of meals on the weekend and dine off them during the week.
dine on (something)
To eat something. We dined on lasagna at our favorite restaurant last night. Here, take some of these leftovers home and dine on them for a few days. Hey, if you want to join us, we're going to dine on sushi at that place near your work.
dine out
To eat a meal, especially dinner, at a restaurant or similar location outside of one's home. I know you don't like to cook, but you'd save a lot of money if you didn't dine out so often. I was thinking we could dine out at that swanky new sushi place this weekend. Hey, if you want to join us, we're going to dine out at that place near your work.
dine out on (something)
1. To be invited to a social meal (especially dinner) because of something particularly interesting or entertaining that one knows or has experienced. He dined out on the story of his affair with the movie star for several months. Geez, the guy plays one round of golf with a former president, and he dines out on that story for years! Tom still dines out on his role in that one off-off-Broadway production.
2. To entertain other people, especially at a meal, with a particularly interesting story of something one has experienced. I always dine out on the story of our mishaps in Bavaria—to this day, it still puts people in stitches! It was a pretty dull gathering. We needed someone like you, who always dines out on the ridiculous things they've done in life! I know you guys just got back from Australia, so I hope you'll dine out on all your adventures!
dine with Duke Humphrey
To go without dinner. The phrase refers to the story of a man who, while visiting the tomb of Duke Humphrey of Gloucester, was locked in the abbey—and thus missed dinner. A: "Why are you so hungry? Didn't you eat dinner?" B: "No, I got stuck in a meeting, so I dined with Duke Humphrey!" Dinner is going to be at 6:00 sharp, so if you're not here by then, you can dine with Duke Humphrey! Mom is sick, so if we have to cook something ourselves—otherwise, we'll dine with Duke Humphrey.
dine with the devil
To associate or deal with a particularly malicious, immoral, or unscrupulous person or people; to commit malicious, immoral, or unscrupulous acts. Primarily heard in UK. Once considered one of the most straight-laced politicians in England, it's come to light that the former Health Secretary has been dining with the devil for years, giving pharmaceutical companies special privileges in exchange for sizable kickbacks. She has been accused of dining with the devil after the activist was spotted having dinner with the CEO of one of the conglomerations her charity opposes. If you dine with the devil like this, you're gonna meet his thugs when you can't pay up.
eat out
1. To eat a meal outside of one's home, as at a restaurant. The meal can be specified between "eat" and "out." Let's eat out tonight—I don't feel like cooking. We can't eat lunch out every single day—do you know how much that would cost? I'm sorry, I'm going to be home a little late tonight. Mind eating out again?
2. To eat the inner part of something. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "eat" and "out." Ugh, it looks like bugs have eaten out all of the tomatoes in my garden. Unfortunately, termites have eaten out most of these planks of wood. A: "Are you just going to eat out that cream cupcake?" B: "Obviously. The filling is the best part."
3. To criticize one harshly. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "eat" and "out." The teacher will eat you out if you come in without your homework again today. When my team lost that big client, I knew the boss would eat me out. I hope you proofread this thoroughly because the editor of the newspaper will eat you out if there are any errors.
4. vulgar slang To perform cunnilingus on a woman. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "eat" and "out."
wine and dine
To entertain someone with lavish meals, typically in order to gain their favor in some way, either personally or professionally. This guy is our ideal candidate for the job, so be sure to wine and dine him tonight. Your father likes to say he won me over by wining and dining me—but really he just took me out for cheeseburgers.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
dine at (some place)
to eat at a place. We really like to dine at the small cafe on the corner. I hope we can dine at a fine restaurant for our anniversary.
dine in
to eat at home rather than at a restaurant. I think we will dine in tonight. I am tired of dining in. Let's go out.
dine off something
to make a meal of something; to make many meals of something. Do you think we can dine off the leg of lamb for more than one meal? I hope we dine off the turkey only one more time.
dine on something
to eat something. We are dining on roast beef tonight. What will we be dining on tonight?
eat (a meal) out
and dine outto eat a meal at a restaurant. I like to eat a meal out every now and then. Yes, it's good to eat out and try different kinds of food. It costs a lot of money to dine out often.
eat out
to eat a meal away from home, as at a restaurant. I just love to eat out every now and then. Let's eat out tonight. I'm tired.
eat something out
1. . to eat some kind of meal or a particular food away from home, as at a restaurant. We eat fish out, but we don't cook it at home. We may eat out a meal or two, but certainly not every meal.
2. [for something or an animal] to consume the inside of something. The ants ate the inside of the pumpkin out. The ants ate out the pumpkin.
wine and dine someone
to treat someone to an expensive meal of the type that includes fine wines; to entertain someone lavishly. The lobbyists wined and dined the senators one by one in order to influence them. We were wined and dined every night and given the best hotel accommodations in town.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.