# dine out on

CEFR C1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/dine-out-on
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to tell a story or use a piece of news many times to get attention or free meals from people.

For teachers: to exploit a particular story, experience, or piece of information for social gain or entertainment over a period of time; often implies the speaker receives hospitality in exchange for the anecdote.

## Examples

- He has been dining out on that story for years.
- After her brief appearance in the movie, she dined out on the experience at every party that summer.
- The retired diplomat continued to dine out on his accounts of the 1989 negotiations, though the details grew more elaborate with every telling.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He dined out on to meet the president." but "He dined out on meeting the president." — the preposition 'on' must be followed by a noun or a gerund, not an infinitive verb.

## Usage notes

- usually followed by a noun phrase representing a story, secret, or past achievement.
- Teaching tip: explain the literal imagery of being invited to dinner because you are an entertaining guest; it helps students understand why the phrase implies social benefit.

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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.