tea
♦♦ tea /t'iː/ (teas)
1 [N-MASS]
Tea is a drink made by adding hot water to tea leaves or tea bags. Many people add milk to the drink and some add sugar.
...a cup of tea...
Would you like some tea?...
Four or five men were drinking tea from flasks.
[N-COUNT]
A cup of tea can be referred to as a tea.
Would anybody like a tea or coffee?
2 [N-MASS]
The chopped dried leaves of the plant that tea is made from is referred to as tea.
...a packet of tea...
3 [N-VAR]
Tea is a meal some people eat in the late afternoon. It consists of food such as sandwiches and cakes, with tea to drink. (BRIT)
I'm doing the sandwiches for tea...
see also afternoon tea, high tea
4 [N-VAR]
Some people refer to the main meal that they eat in the early part of the evening as tea. (BRIT)
At five o'clock he comes back for his tea.
5 [PHRASE] v-link PHR, usu with brd-neg
If you say that someone or something is not your cup of tea, you mean that they are not the kind of person or thing that you like.
Politics was not his cup of tea...after|noon tea (afternoon teas)
[N-VAR]
Afternoon tea is a small meal you can have in the afternoon. It includes a cup of tea and food such as sandwiches and cakes. (BRIT)Chi|na tea
[N-UNCOUNT]
China tea is tea made from large dark green or reddish-brown tea leaves. It is usually drunk without milk or sugar.cream tea (cream teas)
[N-COUNT]
In Britain, a cream tea is an afternoon meal that consists of tea to drink and small cakes called scones that are eaten with jam and cream. Cream teas are served in places such as tea shops.high tea (high teas)
[N-VAR]
In Britain, some people have a meal called high tea in the late afternoon instead of having dinner or supper later in the evening. (OLD-FASHIONED)tea bag (tea bags)
also teabag
[N-COUNT]
Tea bags are small paper bags with tea leaves in them. You put them into hot water to make tea.tea break (tea breaks)
[N-COUNT]
If you have a tea break, you stop working and have a cup of tea or coffee. (mainly BRIT; in AM, use coffee break)tea cad|dy (tea caddies)
[N-COUNT]
A tea caddy is a small tin in which you keep tea. (mainly BRIT)tea chest (tea chests)
[N-COUNT]
A tea chest is a large wooden box in which tea is packed when it is exported. People also use tea chests for putting things in when they move from one house to another. (BRIT)tea cloth (tea cloths)
also tea-cloth
[N-COUNT]
A tea cloth is the same as a tea towel. (BRIT)tea cosy (tea cosies)
also tea-cosy
[N-COUNT]
A tea cosy is a soft knitted or fabric cover which you put over a teapot in order to keep the tea hot. (BRIT; in AM, use tea cozy)tea dance (tea dances)
[N-COUNT]
A tea dance is a social event that takes place in the afternoon, where people meet to dance and have tea. Tea dances are especially popular with older people.tea leaf (tea leaves)
also tea-leaf
[N-COUNT] usu pl
Tea leaves are the small pieces of dried leaves that you use to make tea.tea par|ty (tea parties)
also tea-party
[N-COUNT]
A tea party is a social gathering in the afternoon at which tea, cakes, and sandwiches are served. (OLD-FASHIONED)tea room (tea rooms)
also tearoom
[N-COUNT; N-IN-NAMES]
A tea room is the same as a tea shop.tea ser|vice (tea services)
[N-COUNT]
A tea service is the same as a tea set.tea set (tea sets)
[N-COUNT]
A tea set is a set of cups, saucers, and plates, with a milk jug, sugar bowl, and teapot.tea shop (tea shops)
also teashop
[N-COUNT; N-IN-NAMES]
A tea shop is a small restaurant where tea, coffee, cakes, sandwiches, and light meals are served. (BRIT)
= tea roomtea 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.tea tow|el (tea towels)
[N-COUNT]
A tea towel is a cloth used to dry dishes after they have been washed. (BRIT; in AM, use dish towel)
= tea cloth
1 [N-MASS]
Tea is a drink made by adding hot water to tea leaves or tea bags. Many people add milk to the drink and some add sugar.
...a cup of tea...
Would you like some tea?...
Four or five men were drinking tea from flasks.
[N-COUNT]
A cup of tea can be referred to as a tea.
Would anybody like a tea or coffee?
2 [N-MASS]
The chopped dried leaves of the plant that tea is made from is referred to as tea.
...a packet of tea...
3 [N-VAR]
Tea is a meal some people eat in the late afternoon. It consists of food such as sandwiches and cakes, with tea to drink. (BRIT)
I'm doing the sandwiches for tea...
see also afternoon tea, high tea
4 [N-VAR]
Some people refer to the main meal that they eat in the early part of the evening as tea. (BRIT)
At five o'clock he comes back for his tea.
5 [PHRASE] v-link PHR, usu with brd-neg
If you say that someone or something is not your cup of tea, you mean that they are not the kind of person or thing that you like.
Politics was not his cup of tea...after|noon tea (afternoon teas)
[N-VAR]
Afternoon tea is a small meal you can have in the afternoon. It includes a cup of tea and food such as sandwiches and cakes. (BRIT)Chi|na tea
[N-UNCOUNT]
China tea is tea made from large dark green or reddish-brown tea leaves. It is usually drunk without milk or sugar.cream tea (cream teas)
[N-COUNT]
In Britain, a cream tea is an afternoon meal that consists of tea to drink and small cakes called scones that are eaten with jam and cream. Cream teas are served in places such as tea shops.high tea (high teas)
[N-VAR]
In Britain, some people have a meal called high tea in the late afternoon instead of having dinner or supper later in the evening. (OLD-FASHIONED)tea bag (tea bags)
also teabag
[N-COUNT]
Tea bags are small paper bags with tea leaves in them. You put them into hot water to make tea.tea break (tea breaks)
[N-COUNT]
If you have a tea break, you stop working and have a cup of tea or coffee. (mainly BRIT; in AM, use coffee break)tea cad|dy (tea caddies)
[N-COUNT]
A tea caddy is a small tin in which you keep tea. (mainly BRIT)tea chest (tea chests)
[N-COUNT]
A tea chest is a large wooden box in which tea is packed when it is exported. People also use tea chests for putting things in when they move from one house to another. (BRIT)tea cloth (tea cloths)
also tea-cloth
[N-COUNT]
A tea cloth is the same as a tea towel. (BRIT)tea cosy (tea cosies)
also tea-cosy
[N-COUNT]
A tea cosy is a soft knitted or fabric cover which you put over a teapot in order to keep the tea hot. (BRIT; in AM, use tea cozy)tea dance (tea dances)
[N-COUNT]
A tea dance is a social event that takes place in the afternoon, where people meet to dance and have tea. Tea dances are especially popular with older people.tea leaf (tea leaves)
also tea-leaf
[N-COUNT] usu pl
Tea leaves are the small pieces of dried leaves that you use to make tea.tea par|ty (tea parties)
also tea-party
[N-COUNT]
A tea party is a social gathering in the afternoon at which tea, cakes, and sandwiches are served. (OLD-FASHIONED)tea room (tea rooms)
also tearoom
[N-COUNT; N-IN-NAMES]
A tea room is the same as a tea shop.tea ser|vice (tea services)
[N-COUNT]
A tea service is the same as a tea set.tea set (tea sets)
[N-COUNT]
A tea set is a set of cups, saucers, and plates, with a milk jug, sugar bowl, and teapot.tea shop (tea shops)
also teashop
[N-COUNT; N-IN-NAMES]
A tea shop is a small restaurant where tea, coffee, cakes, sandwiches, and light meals are served. (BRIT)
= tea roomtea 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.tea tow|el (tea towels)
[N-COUNT]
A tea towel is a cloth used to dry dishes after they have been washed. (BRIT; in AM, use dish towel)
= tea cloth