tea wagon
- noun
- /ti ˈwæɡən/
- US
- The tea wagon was beautifully decorated for the event.
Examples
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The silver teapot stood on the tea wagon next to plates of sandwiches and cakes.
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We brought out the tea wagon when our guests arrived for afternoon tea.
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She wheeled the tea wagon into the living room, delighting everyone with the treats.
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She served scones from the tea wagon.
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The host used a charming tea wagon to serve refreshments during the afternoon gathering.
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We admired the antique tea wagon as it rolled through the room, carrying cups of steaming tea.
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Guests were delighted when the server brought out a colorful tea wagon filled with pastries and tea.
Synonyms
A small four-wheeled cart that children pull or ride in
A cart on wheels used for carrying shopping or luggage
A small cart on wheels used to serve tea and snacks
A small cart on wheels for serving tea, coffee, or light food
A small table on wheels for serving tea and light food
A small table with wheels for carrying and serving food and drinks
How Big
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a small cart for serving tea' is directly compositional from 'tea' (the drink) + 'wagon/waggon' (a cart), so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can readily infer its purpose. This noun+noun compounding is cross-linguistically common (tea cart/trolley), and the only nuance—size or formality of the cart—does not prevent transparent understanding.
Etymology
The noun tea wagon comes from the simple image of a small cart on wheels used to bring tea and small snacks into a room, and the wagon part shows it was a wheeled cart. So, it means 'a small cart for serving tea or light refreshments'.