for tea

13 2.0

To have tea and a light meal with someone in the afternoon or early evening

idiom

: a tomar el té

Better than that young man you brought home for tea.
Come for tea
invited her for tea
stay for tea

I had I went for tea with my mum and her and we got back and instantly went upstairs and did the naughty me.

Examples

He wants me over for tea, week after next.

Invictus (2009)
Today we sat down for tea together.

Fiction book (2002)
Would you like to stay for tea?

Spirit of the Game (2016)
Mother, we have a guest for tea.

Necronomicon (1993)
Will you join us for tea?

The Man from Snowy River (1982)
You are just in time for tea.

The Quiet American (1958)
The major said to us, "Come for tea with me."

Academic text (2009)
I asked them to come by for tea this afternoon.

Fiction book (1995)
Beatrice is having people for tea.

Act One (1963)
Would you like to stay for tea?

Surface Forms

for tea main

Morphology

for + tea

The meaning 'to take part in tea' is directly derivable from 'for' (indicating purpose/participation) combined with 'tea' (the meal or social event). This 'for + [meal/event]' compositional pattern is common in English and in many other languages, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily understand the phrase.

Etymology

For tea comes from an old British habit of inviting someone to share tea and small cakes in the afternoon or early evening. So saying you are going for tea means 'to take part in tea', that is, a light meal or friendly visit at that time of day.