table service
1
3.1
- noun
- /ˈteɪbəl ˈsɜrvɪs/
- UK
:
servicio de mesa
Examples
-
Though there is no table service on weeknights, Martin walks around the bar and brings the showgirls another round.
Fiction book (1999) -
As a group, the students enjoy weekly luncheons at restaurants that provide menus, table service, and individual bills.
Academic text (1995) -
In the evenings, the restaurant becomes table service, with waiters and bussers handling the service.
Blog text (33) -
The restaurant offers excellent table service, ensuring each guest is attended to promptly.
-
During our visit, we appreciated the quality of the table service as the staff were very attentive.
-
For special occasions, it's nice to enjoy a full table service with proper utensils and dishes.
Synonyms
33
4.4
A set of matching plates, cups and cutlery for serving meals
6
3.5
Plates, cups, and dishes used for serving or eating food
5
2.7
Items like plates and bowls for serving and eating food at a meal
5
2.9
A matching set of plates, knives, and sometimes glasses that you use to serve a formal meal
2
2.7
Plates, glasses, and cutlery used for serving and eating food at a table
1
2.8
Plates, bowls, and cups used for serving and eating food
1
1.3
A matching set of plates, bowls, and cups for serving dinner
How Formal
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a complete set of dishes used at the dining table' is directly derivable from combining 'service' (a matching set of plates/cutlery) with 'table' (specifying the use/location), following the common noun+noun modifier pattern. This compositional construction is cross-linguistically common and therefore a B1 learner who knows both constituents is likely to infer the intended meaning.
Etymology
Table service comes from the idea of a matching 'set' of plates, cups, forks and spoons kept for the table. So service here means a complete group of dishes, and table service now means that full set of dishes and utensils used for meals.