English Reference
noun · verb

dish

n. · v.
US /ˈdɪʃ/ UK /dˈɪʃ/ dish UK spelling dishing

  1. 01 A1 Beginner Cooking

    n.a shallow container, like a plate or a bowl, used for holding or serving food.

    n.a vessel, typically concave and circular, used for the presentation or consumption of food.

    Simple

    He placed the large ceramic dish in the center of the table.

    In context

    The artisan crafted a shallow wooden dish designed specifically for serving seasonal fruits and nuts during the autumn festival.

  2. 02 A1 Beginner Cooking

    n.a particular type of food that is prepared as a meal.

    n.a specific variety of prepared food or a particular item on a menu.

    Simple

    My favorite Italian dish is lasagna with extra cheese.

    In context

    The chef recommended a signature dish featuring locally sourced seafood and a delicate saffron-infused reduction.

  3. 03 A2 Elementary

    n.the plates, cups, and cutlery that need to be washed after a meal.

    n.tableware and cooking utensils collectively, especially when requiring cleaning after use.

    Simple

    It is your turn to do the dishes after we finish dinner.

    In context

    After the banquet, the kitchen staff spent hours scrubbing the dishes and polishing the silverware for the next day's event.

    tablewarecrockery
  4. 04 B1 Intermediate Computing

    n.a large, bowl-shaped piece of equipment used to receive radio or television signals.

    n.a parabolic antenna used for the transmission or reception of electromagnetic signals.

    Simple

    They installed a satellite dish on the roof to get more international channels.

    In context

    The remote research station utilized a massive radio dish to communicate with orbiting satellites and deep-space probes.

    satellite dishantenna
  5. 05 C1 Advanced InformalSlang

    n.interesting information or secrets about other people's private lives.

    n.casual or unconstrained conversation or reports about other people, typically involving details that are not confirmed as being true.

    Simple

    Come over for coffee and give me all the dish on your new job.

    In context

    The tabloid magazines are always full of the latest dish regarding the private lives of Hollywood celebrities.

  6. 06 B1 Intermediate Cooking

    v.to put food onto plates so that it can be eaten.

    v.to present or serve food in a dish; often used with 'up' or 'out'.

    Simple

    Could you help me dish out the soup into these bowls?

    In context

    The volunteers began to dish up hundreds of hot meals for the community members gathered at the shelter.

  7. 07 C1 Advanced InformalSlang

    v.to tell secrets about someone or to say mean things about them.

    v.to share gossip or to criticize someone harshly; frequently used in the phrasal verb 'dish it out'.

    Simple

    He loves to dish about his coworkers when they aren't around.

    In context

    If you are going to dish out criticism so freely, you must be prepared to receive it in return.

    gossipcriticizebadmouth

From Middle English dissh, disch, from Old English disċ (“plate; bowl; dish”), from Proto-West Germanic disk (“table; dish”) (whence also Proto-Slavic dъska, whence Bulgarian дъска́ (dǎská), Polish deska, Russian доска́ (doská)), Russian чан (čan)) from Latin discus. Doublet of dais, desk, disc, discus, disk, and diskos. Cognates Cognate with Scots disch (“dish; plate”), Dutch dis (“table”), German Low German Disk, Disch (“table”), German Tisch (“table”), Danish disk (“dish; counter”), Swedish disk (“dish; counter”), Icelandic diskur (“dish; plate”), Finnish tiski (“desk, counter; dish”). Compare the identical meaning expansion (vessel for food, then also content of such a vessel, then also specific type of food): Bulgarian блю́до (bljúdo), Russian блю́до (bljúdo). For the roundness aspect compare Polish rondel (“pan, saucepan”) (< Latin rotundus (whence also English round)). Also compare typologically Proto-Slavic *misъka << Latin mēnsa; Ancient Greek πίναξ (pínax) (several meanings).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin discus
Level A1 · Beginner
Frequency Common
Updated