supper
/ˈsʌpə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsʌpər/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈsə-pər/ (ame, mw)
supper — 名詞
1. the cooked food that people eat in the early evening, especially in northern Bri
晚餐
傍晚吃的主餐
the cooked food that people eat in the early evening, especially in northern Britain where it serves as the biggest meal — a family, for instance, gathering around half past five for meat, potatoes, and vegetables.
In many parts of northern England, families eat their supper around six in the evening.
在英格蘭北部的許多地方，家庭大約在傍晚六點吃晚餐。
collocation: eat supper with time expression
Ezra's grandmother always prepares a hot supper with meat and vegetables for the family.
Ezra 的奶奶總會為家人準備一頓有肉有菜的熱騰騰晚餐。
The village pub serves a simple but filling supper of homemade soup and fresh bread.
那間鄉村酒吧供應簡單卻很豐盛的晚餐，有自製濃湯和新鮮麵包。
After a long day in the fields, the workers ate a hearty supper of stew.
在田裡忙了一整天後，工人們吃了一大鍋燉菜作為豐盛的晚餐。
- dinner
more widely used across English varieties for the main evening meal; can also mean the midday meal in some British dialects
- evening meal
neutral term that avoids the supper/dinner ambiguity
文法句型
have/eat + supper
for + supper
用法筆記
In northern England and Scotland, 'supper' often refers to the main evening meal, while in most of the United States and southern England the word 'dinner' is preferred. 'Supper' tends to sound more informal or old-fashioned in many regions.
常見錯誤
2. food that you have shortly before going to sleep, usually a small amount such as
宵夜
睡前吃的小點
food that you have shortly before going to sleep, usually a small amount such as fruit, cereal, or a warm drink — for instance, something quick after arriving home from a late movie or a night shift.
After the night shift ended, Jin stopped for a quick supper at the all-night cafe.
下班後，Jin 順路到那家二十四小時營業的咖啡店吃了頓簡單的宵夜。
collocation: quick supper / late supper
Amani prefers a light supper of fruit and yoghurt before going to sleep.
Amani 喜歡在睡前吃一份水果加優格的輕食宵夜。
collocation: light supper + of [ingredients]
The hotel offers a complimentary supper for guests arriving after ten o'clock.
那家飯店為晚上十點後入住的客人提供免費宵夜。
After the concert, Sophia shared a late supper with friends at a small Italian cafe.
演唱會結束後，Sophia 和一群朋友在一家小義大利咖啡館吃了頓宵夜。
- snack
suggests something even smaller and more casual than a late supper
- bedtime snack
explicitly places the meal before sleep; more informal
文法句型
light + supper
late + supper
have/eat + supper
用法筆記
This is the most common meaning of 'supper' in American English. The meal is typically smaller than dinner and is often eaten shortly before bedtime. Frequently modified by adjectives such as light, late, small, or bedtime.
常見錯誤
3. a social gathering in the evening where a meal is served, often organised by a c
聚餐
晚間社交餐會
a social gathering in the evening where a meal is served, often organised by a community group, school, or charity to raise money or bring people together — for example, a church hosting a buffet meal to fund a new roof.
Tamar's school organised a charity supper to raise money for new library books.
Tamar 的學校舉辦了一場慈善聚餐，為添購新圖書募款。
collocation: charity supper + purpose (to raise money)
Nadia and her husband hosted a formal supper for twelve guests in their garden.
Nadia 和丈夫在自家花園裡舉辦了一場正式的晚宴，招待十二位賓客。
collocation: formal supper / host a supper
The community centre's annual supper brings together families from every part of the neighbourhood.
社區中心的年度聚餐讓街坊鄰居齊聚一堂。
The local church holds a potluck supper on the first Friday of each month.
當地教會在每個月的第一個星期五舉辦一場一人一菜的聚餐。
- dinner party
more intimate and formal, typically hosted at someone's home for invited guests
- banquet
larger, more formal, and often ceremonial; not used for community fundraisers
- potluck
a specific type of supper where each guest brings a dish to share
文法句型
[noun] + supper
用法筆記
Common in fixed compound nouns: a preceding noun names the type of event (charity supper, church supper, potluck supper, annual supper). The food is often served buffet-style rather than as a seated, multi-course meal.
4. in Scotland and northern England, adding 'supper' after a deep-fried food such a
炸魚薯餐
蘇格蘭式炸物附薯條
in Scotland and northern England, adding 'supper' after a deep-fried food such as fish or sausage tells the shop worker that you want the food served with thick-cut potato chips — so 'a fish supper' means battered fish alongside chips, bought from a takeaway shop.
Gabriela ordered a fish supper from the chip shop on her way home.
Gabriela 回家路上順路到炸魚薯條店點了一份炸魚薯條餐。
regional compound: fish supper
Christopher asked for a sausage supper with extra salt and vinegar on the chips.
Christopher 點了一份炸香腸薯條餐，還要求多加醋和鹽。
regional compound: sausage supper
In Scotland, a fish supper is battered fish with thick-cut chips, not a formal meal.
在蘇格蘭，一客 fish supper 就是炸魚配上厚切薯條，而不是一頓正式晚餐。
Hamza asked the chip shop worker for a haggis supper with plenty of brown sauce.
Hamza 跟炸魚薯條店的老闆點了一份羊雜薯條餐，還要了許多棕醬。
- fish and chips
the standard term outside Scotland; refers to the same dish without using the word 'supper'
- chip shop meal
a broader term covering any takeaway from a fish-and-chip shop
文法句型
[food] + supper
用法筆記
Chiefly Scottish and Northern English. The food item naming the supper is almost always battered and deep-fried (fish supper, sausage supper, haggis supper). This sense is not used in American English or most other English varieties. The chips in this context are British-style thick-cut french fries.