table
♦♦ ta|ble /t'eɪbəl/ (tables tabling tabled)
1 [N-COUNT]
A table is a piece of furniture with a flat top that you put things on or sit at.
She was sitting at the kitchen table eating a currant bun...
I placed his drink on the small table at his elbow.
2 [VERB] V n
If someone tables a proposal, they say formally that they want it to be discussed at a meeting. (mainly BRIT)
They've tabled a motion criticising the Government for doing nothing about the problem.
= propose
3 [VERB] V n
If someone tables a proposal or plan which has been put forward, they decide to discuss it or deal with it at a later date, rather than straight away. (AM)
We will table that for later.
4 [N-COUNT] also N num
A table is a written set of facts and figures arranged in columns and rows.
Consult the table on page 104...
Other research supports the figures in Table 3.3.
5
see also coffee table, dressing table, round table, round table, tea table
6 [PHRASE] PHR after v, v-link PHR
If you put something on the table, you present it at a meeting for it to be discussed.
This is one of the best packages we've put on the table in years...
7 [PHRASE] V inflects, oft PHR on n
If you turn the tables on someone, you change the situation completely, so that instead of them causing problems for you, you are causing problems for them.
The only question is whether the President can use his extraordinary political skills to turn the tables on his opponents.
8
to put your cards on the table: see cardbird ta|ble (bird tables)
[N-COUNT]
A bird table is a small wooden platform on a pole which some people put in their garden in order to put food for the birds on it.break|fast ta|ble (breakfast tables)
[N-COUNT] usu sing, the N
You refer to a table as the breakfast table when it is being used for breakfast.
...reading the morning papers at the breakfast table.card ta|ble (card tables)
also card-table
[N-COUNT]
A card table is a small light table which can be folded up and which is sometimes used for playing games of cards on.cof|fee ta|ble (coffee tables)
also coffee-table
[N-COUNT]
A coffee table is a small low table in a living room.din|ing ta|ble (dining tables)
also dining-table
[N-COUNT]
A dining table is a table that is used for having meals on.din|ner ta|ble (dinner tables)
also dinner-table
[N-COUNT] usu sing, usu the/poss N
You can refer to a table as the dinner table when it is being used for dinner. (BRIT)
Sam was left at the dinner table with Peg.dress|ing ta|ble (dressing tables)
also dressing-table
[N-COUNT]
A dressing table is a small table in a bedroom. It has drawers underneath and a mirror on top.league ta|ble (league tables)
[N-COUNT]
A league table is a list that shows how successful an organization such as a sports team or a business is when it is compared to other similar organizations. (mainly BRIT)
...a league table of British schools ranked by exam results.multi|pli|ca|tion ta|ble (multiplication tables)
[N-COUNT]
A multiplication table is a list of the multiplications of numbers between one and twelve. Children often have to learn multiplication tables at school.
= tablene|go|ti|at|ing ta|ble
[N-SING] usu the N
If you say that people are at the negotiating table, you mean that they are having discussions in order to settle a dispute or reach an agreement.
`We want to settle all matters at the negotiating table,' he said...op|er|at|ing ta|ble (operating tables)
[N-COUNT]
An operating table is a table which a patient in a hospital lies on during a surgical operation.pe|ri|od|ic ta|ble
[N-SING] the N
In chemistry, the periodic table is a table showing the chemical elements arranged according to their atomic numbers.round ta|ble (round tables)
also round-table; roundtable
[N-COUNT] usu N n
A round table discussion is a meeting where experts gather together in order to discuss a particular topic.
...a round-table conference of the leading heart specialists of America.ta|ble danc|ing
[N-UNCOUNT]
Table dancing is a type of entertainment in a bar or club in which a woman who is wearing very few clothes dances in a sexy way close to a customer or group of customers.ta|ble lamp (table lamps)
[N-COUNT]
A table lamp is a small electric lamp which stands on a table or other piece of furniture.ta|ble man|ners
[N-PLURAL] usu supp N
You can use table manners to refer to the way you behave when you are eating a meal at a table.
He attacked the food as quickly as decent table manners allowed.ta|ble ten|nis
also table-tennis
[N-UNCOUNT]
Table tennis is a game played inside by two or four people. The players stand at each end of a table which has a low net across the middle and hit a small light ball over the net, using small bats.ta|ble top (table tops)
also tabletop
[N-COUNT]
A table top is the flat surface on a table.ta|ble wine (table wines)
[N-MASS]
Table wine is fairly cheap wine that is drunk with meals.tea ta|ble
also tea-table
[N-SING] the N
You refer to a table as the tea table when it is being used for a meal eaten in the late afternoon or early evening. (mainly BRIT)
...cakes and sandwiches on the tea-table.tres|tle ta|ble (trestle tables)
[N-COUNT]
A trestle table is a table made of a long board that is supported on trestles.wa|ter ta|ble (water tables)
[N-COUNT] usu the N
The water table is the level below the surface of the ground where water can be found.
Environmentalists say that diverting water from the river will lower the water table and dry out wells.
1 [N-COUNT]
A table is a piece of furniture with a flat top that you put things on or sit at.
She was sitting at the kitchen table eating a currant bun...
I placed his drink on the small table at his elbow.
2 [VERB] V n
If someone tables a proposal, they say formally that they want it to be discussed at a meeting. (mainly BRIT)
They've tabled a motion criticising the Government for doing nothing about the problem.
= propose
3 [VERB] V n
If someone tables a proposal or plan which has been put forward, they decide to discuss it or deal with it at a later date, rather than straight away. (AM)
We will table that for later.
4 [N-COUNT] also N num
A table is a written set of facts and figures arranged in columns and rows.
Consult the table on page 104...
Other research supports the figures in Table 3.3.
5
see also coffee table, dressing table, round table, round table, tea table
6 [PHRASE] PHR after v, v-link PHR
If you put something on the table, you present it at a meeting for it to be discussed.
This is one of the best packages we've put on the table in years...
7 [PHRASE] V inflects, oft PHR on n
If you turn the tables on someone, you change the situation completely, so that instead of them causing problems for you, you are causing problems for them.
The only question is whether the President can use his extraordinary political skills to turn the tables on his opponents.
8
to put your cards on the table: see cardbird ta|ble (bird tables)
[N-COUNT]
A bird table is a small wooden platform on a pole which some people put in their garden in order to put food for the birds on it.break|fast ta|ble (breakfast tables)
[N-COUNT] usu sing, the N
You refer to a table as the breakfast table when it is being used for breakfast.
...reading the morning papers at the breakfast table.card ta|ble (card tables)
also card-table
[N-COUNT]
A card table is a small light table which can be folded up and which is sometimes used for playing games of cards on.cof|fee ta|ble (coffee tables)
also coffee-table
[N-COUNT]
A coffee table is a small low table in a living room.din|ing ta|ble (dining tables)
also dining-table
[N-COUNT]
A dining table is a table that is used for having meals on.din|ner ta|ble (dinner tables)
also dinner-table
[N-COUNT] usu sing, usu the/poss N
You can refer to a table as the dinner table when it is being used for dinner. (BRIT)
Sam was left at the dinner table with Peg.dress|ing ta|ble (dressing tables)
also dressing-table
[N-COUNT]
A dressing table is a small table in a bedroom. It has drawers underneath and a mirror on top.league ta|ble (league tables)
[N-COUNT]
A league table is a list that shows how successful an organization such as a sports team or a business is when it is compared to other similar organizations. (mainly BRIT)
...a league table of British schools ranked by exam results.multi|pli|ca|tion ta|ble (multiplication tables)
[N-COUNT]
A multiplication table is a list of the multiplications of numbers between one and twelve. Children often have to learn multiplication tables at school.
= tablene|go|ti|at|ing ta|ble
[N-SING] usu the N
If you say that people are at the negotiating table, you mean that they are having discussions in order to settle a dispute or reach an agreement.
`We want to settle all matters at the negotiating table,' he said...op|er|at|ing ta|ble (operating tables)
[N-COUNT]
An operating table is a table which a patient in a hospital lies on during a surgical operation.pe|ri|od|ic ta|ble
[N-SING] the N
In chemistry, the periodic table is a table showing the chemical elements arranged according to their atomic numbers.round ta|ble (round tables)
also round-table; roundtable
[N-COUNT] usu N n
A round table discussion is a meeting where experts gather together in order to discuss a particular topic.
...a round-table conference of the leading heart specialists of America.ta|ble danc|ing
[N-UNCOUNT]
Table dancing is a type of entertainment in a bar or club in which a woman who is wearing very few clothes dances in a sexy way close to a customer or group of customers.ta|ble lamp (table lamps)
[N-COUNT]
A table lamp is a small electric lamp which stands on a table or other piece of furniture.ta|ble man|ners
[N-PLURAL] usu supp N
You can use table manners to refer to the way you behave when you are eating a meal at a table.
He attacked the food as quickly as decent table manners allowed.ta|ble ten|nis
also table-tennis
[N-UNCOUNT]
Table tennis is a game played inside by two or four people. The players stand at each end of a table which has a low net across the middle and hit a small light ball over the net, using small bats.ta|ble top (table tops)
also tabletop
[N-COUNT]
A table top is the flat surface on a table.ta|ble wine (table wines)
[N-MASS]
Table wine is fairly cheap wine that is drunk with meals.tea ta|ble
also tea-table
[N-SING] the N
You refer to a table as the tea table when it is being used for a meal eaten in the late afternoon or early evening. (mainly BRIT)
...cakes and sandwiches on the tea-table.tres|tle ta|ble (trestle tables)
[N-COUNT]
A trestle table is a table made of a long board that is supported on trestles.wa|ter ta|ble (water tables)
[N-COUNT] usu the N
The water table is the level below the surface of the ground where water can be found.
Environmentalists say that diverting water from the river will lower the water table and dry out wells.