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dish

n. · v.
US //ˈdɪʃ// UK //dˈɪʃ// dish
  1. 1 a container for food (n.)
    A1 Beginner Cooking

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

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

    Example

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

    Example

    The artisan crafted a shallow wooden dish designed specifically for serving seasonal fruits and nuts during the autumn festival.
  2. 2 prepared food (n.)
    A1 Beginner Cooking

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

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

    Example

    My favorite Italian dish is lasagna with extra cheese.

    Example

    The chef recommended a signature dish featuring locally sourced seafood and a delicate saffron-infused reduction.
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  1. 3 items to be washed (n.)
    A2 Elementary

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

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

    Example

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

    Example

    After the banquet, the kitchen staff spent hours scrubbing the dishes and polishing the silverware for the next day's event.
    • tableware
    • crockery
  2. 4 an antenna (n.)
    B1 Intermediate Computing

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

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

    Example

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

    Example

    The remote research station utilized a massive radio dish to communicate with orbiting satellites and deep-space probes.
  3. 5 gossip (n.)
    C1 Advanced Informal Slang

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

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

    Example

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

    Example

    The tabloid magazines are always full of the latest dish regarding the private lives of Hollywood celebrities.
  4. 6 to serve food (v.)
    B1 Intermediate Cooking

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

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

    Example

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

    Example

    The volunteers began to dish up hundreds of hot meals for the community members gathered at the shelter.
  5. 7 to gossip or criticize (v.)
    C1 Advanced Informal Slang

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

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

    Example

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

    Example

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

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).

Word family
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