tea tray
1
1.5
- noun
- /ti treɪ/
:
bandeja de té
- Rosemary began to clatter cups and saucers on the tea tray.
- set the tea tray
- carry a tea tray
- hold the tea tray
Examples
-
Mrs. Greaves set a tea tray on the counter.
Fiction book (1996) -
"You have an incredible view from up here," she said as he set the tea tray down on the coffee table.
Fiction book (1997) -
I ran to get the tea tray and made her wait in the hall.
Fiction book (1994) -
Then she went into the kitchen to get the tea tray ready.
Fiction book (2001) -
Holding the tea tray, she turned toward the man with a bright, social smile on her face.
Fiction book (1997) -
As I left the library, I saw the tea tray sitting in the hallway.
Fiction book (1993) -
I busied myself with the tea tray, saying nothing.
Fiction book (2002) -
Luckily, at that moment, Charlotte Boden entered with the tea tray.
Fiction book (1993) -
Covertly, he studied Molly as he carried the tea tray to the glass table in front of the sofa.
Fiction book (1997) -
She entered the room, carefully balancing a tea tray filled with freshly brewed cups.
Synonyms
311
1.0
A flat, shallow container used to carry or hold food and dishes
How Big
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning of 'tea tray' is directly and compositionally derived from 'tea' (the drink/tea items) and 'tray' (a flat container for serving), so a learner who knows both words can readily infer it is a tray used for tea service. This is a transparent compound noun following common noun+noun composition found across many languages, making it immediately understandable to B1 learners.
Etymology
Tea tray comes from the simple picture of a flat tray holding a tea set like a teapot and cups as someone carries it to guests. That's why it means 'a tray for serving tea'.