mess hall
27
3.4
- noun
- /mɛs hɔl/
- Jargon
:
comedor
- The cafeteria on the military base is known as the mess hall, where troops share their meals together.
But the moment that he walks out into the mess hall with hundreds of troops and a bunch of TV cameras, any secret anymore?
- But the moment that he walks out into the mess hall with hundreds of troops and a bunch of TV cameras, any secret anymore?
- And they marched us off to the mess hall, which was, you know, I don't know, maybe half a mile from our barracks.
Examples
-
I think you should run along to the mess hall and get something to eat because they're just about finished serving supper.
-
You're needed in the mess hall.
-
Get 'em up to the mess hall.
-
You eat mess hall food all day.
-
All right, keep holding the boys in the mess hall.
-
And he says, "We're all gonna go down to "the mess hall now for lunch."
-
I followed a group of prisoners to the mess hall and took my position in line.
Academic text (2005) -
Your comment reminds me of when I was in the Navy mess hall at dinner.
Blog text (21) -
All DPC Guards report to the mess hall.
-
All around the mess hall, officers are laughing and banging on tables.
Fiction book (2002)
Synonyms
201
1.0
A room in a house where people eat meals together
51
5.8
A place where soldiers eat together
20
2.1
A large room in a college where many students eat meals
2
1.0
A room in a house where people eat meals together
2
8.9
A large room where people in a college or monastery eat together
1
6.9
A place where people in a camp or army get their meals
A room where people in the military eat meals together
How Recreational
1
3.2
- UK
14
2.4
- Jargon
27
3.4
- Jargon
1
6.9
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a large dining room on a military base' is directly and compositionally derived from 'mess' (a dining room for military members) plus 'hall' (a large room or building). This is a straightforward compound noun following standard English noun+noun composition, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will understand it.
Etymology
Mess hall comes from the old use of mess to mean a 'meal' or a group who 'eat' together. A mess hall was therefore the room where that group ate, so today it means the dining room for soldiers and others on a base.