dish
/dɪʃ/ (bre, ipa) · /dɪʃ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈdish/ (ame, mw)
dish — noun
- dishsingular
- dishesplural
1. a wide, shallow container, usually round or oval, used for holding, serving, or
a wide, shallow container, usually round or oval, used for holding, serving, or cooking food.
Stephanie placed the roasted chicken on a large ceramic dish and brought it to the table.
collocation: ceramic / glass / serving dish
Tendai poured the hot soup into a deep dish before adding the fresh herbs.
A small dish of green olives sat next to the cheese board at the party.
Vikram baked the lasagna in a rectangular glass dish that his aunt had given him.
文法句型
a [adjective] dish + of [food]
2. the eating items — such as plates, drinking glasses, and cutlery — that require
the eating items — such as plates, drinking glasses, and cutlery — that require washing once people finish a meal.
After dinner, Noa stacked all the dirty dishes next to the sink.
Mark washed the dishes while Evelyn dried them with a clean towel.
common phrase: do / wash the dishes
Roya left the dishes to dry on the wooden rack by the window.
In our house, whoever cooks dinner does not have to do the dishes afterward.
文法句型
do/wash/clean the dishes
用法筆記
Almost always used in the plural form 'the dishes' when referring to items that need washing. The singular 'dish' in this sense is very rare.
常見錯誤
3. a specific kind of food that has been prepared using a particular method and is
a specific kind of food that has been prepared using a particular method and is typically eaten at a set time during a meal.
The chef at that restaurant is famous for her seafood dishes.
Yuna ordered a spicy noodle dish with tofu and fresh vegetables for lunch.
Manuela's grandmother taught her how to cook a traditional Peruvian dish called ceviche.
This cold chicken dish with mango is perfect for summer picnics in the park.
- recipe
refers to the instructions for preparing a dish, not the food itself
- speciality
a dish that a particular person or place is especially known for making well
- course
one part of a meal, such as the starter, main course, or dessert
文法句型
[adjective/name] + dish
用法筆記
Often modified by a cuisine adjective ('Italian dish'), a main ingredient ('chicken dish'), or a cooking method ('roasted dish').
4. a person, usually a woman, who is sexually attractive.
a person, usually a woman, who is sexually attractive.
Andrei told his roommate that the new neighbour was quite a dish, and his roommate agreed with a smile.
Roya laughed when her friends teased her for looking like a real dish in that red dress.
informal register
Even in her seventies, the old Hollywood actress was still considered a dish by her fans.
Nellie's grandfather still talks about how the actress was the biggest dish in Hollywood back in the 1950s.
文法句型
a bit of a dish
quite a dish
用法筆記
Very informal slang. Can be considered old-fashioned or offensive when used about a person. Avoid using it in polite or professional conversation.
常見錯誤
5. an activity, hobby, or subject that a person particularly enjoys or is good at.
an activity, hobby, or subject that a person particularly enjoys or is good at.
Playing chess has never been my dish, but my brother can play for hours without getting bored.
pattern: not one's dish
Classical music is more Manuela's dish than pop music, so she bought tickets to the symphony.
When it comes to gardening, that is Evelyn's dish — her roses win prizes every year.
Fixing old motorcycles is more Andrei's dish than cooking or painting, so he spends weekends in the garage.
- cup of tea
the most common equivalent idiom, used in both British and American English
- thing
informal; 'not my thing' is a very common modern alternative
文法句型
not one's dish
more someone's dish
用法筆記
Almost always used in negative sentences ('not my dish') or in comparisons. More common in British English than American English. Similar in meaning and use to 'cup of tea'.
dish — verb
- dishpresent simple I / you / we / they
- dishes3rd person singular
- dishing-ing form
- dishedpast simple
1. to tell other people private or embarrassing information about someone, especial
to tell other people private or embarrassing information about someone, especially in a casual or gossipy way.
Roya's coworkers love to dish about the boss's personal life during their lunch break.
The tabloid magazine dished all the shocking details of the actor's secret wedding ceremony.
transitive: dish + direct object
Mark refused to dish on his sister's new relationship, even when his friends begged him for information.
The journalist was happy to dish the dirt about the politician's past in her tell-all book.
文法句型
dish + on/about + [person]
dish the dirt
用法筆記
Frequently used with the prepositions 'on' or 'about'. The fixed expression 'dish the dirt' means to reveal scandalous information about someone.
常見錯誤
2. on a basketball court or an ice-hockey rink, to throw the ball or pass the puck
on a basketball court or an ice-hockey rink, to throw the ball or pass the puck to a teammate, often to set up a scoring chance.
Vikram dished the ball to the open player under the basket, who scored two points easily.
The point guard dished to Andrei near the three-point line, and he sank the shot.
pattern: dish to + [player]
Noa dished the puck across the blue line to a forward, who fired it past the goalkeeper.
With only five seconds left, Stephanie dished the ball to Mark under the net for the final basket.
文法句型
dish + the ball/puck + to + [player]
用法筆記
Used mainly in basketball and ice hockey commentary. In basketball, 'dish' implies a clever or skillful pass that creates a scoring chance.
3. to put food onto plates or into dishes in order to serve it, especially to other
to put food onto plates or into dishes in order to serve it, especially to other people at a meal.
Stephanie dished the rice onto each plate before adding the curry on top.
The cafeteria worker dished out generous portions of stew to every student in line.
phrasal verb: dish out
Amihan dished up a bowl of hot soup for her son, who had come in from the cold rain.
Grandma dished the mashed potatoes into a large bowl and passed it around the dinner table.
- serve
the standard, more formal term for presenting food to someone
- ladle
specifically refers to serving liquid or semi-liquid food with a ladle
- portion out
focuses on dividing food into individual servings
文法句型
dish up/out + [food]
dish + [food] + up/out
用法筆記
Often used with the particles 'up' or 'out' as a phrasal verb. 'Dish up' suggests serving a meal, while 'dish out' can also mean distributing something in large amounts.