# crumb down

CEFR C2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/crumb-down
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to clear bread crumbs off a table, usually in a fancy restaurant.

For teachers: to remove crumbs from a table surface between courses, typically performed by a server using a specialized tool or a folded napkin.

## Examples

- The waiter will crumb down the table before dessert.
- In fine dining establishments, staff are trained to crumb down the table discreetly so guests are not disturbed.
- After the main course was cleared, the server proceeded to crumb down the linen before presenting the dessert menu.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He crumbed the table down." but "He crumbed down the table." — while technically separable, it is almost always used as an inseparable unit in a professional context.

## Usage notes

- this is a technical term used almost exclusively in the professional hospitality and restaurant industry.
- Teaching tip: this is a rare, industry-specific phrasal verb; use it to show how nouns like 'crumb' can become verbs in specialized English contexts.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.