table

American  

[tay-buhl] / ˈteɪ bəl /

noun

• tables
  plural

1. an article of furniture consisting of a flat, slablike top supported on one or more legs or other supports.

   a kitchen table;

   an operating table;

   a pool table.

2. such a piece of furniture specifically used for serving food to those seated at it.

3. the food placed on a table to be eaten.

   She sets a good table.

4. a group of persons at a table, as for a meal, game, or business transaction.

5. a gaming table.

6. a flat or plane surface; a level area.

7. a tableland or plateau.

8. a concise list or guide.

   The table of contents in the front of the book includes chapter names and page numbers.

9. an arrangement of words, numbers, or signs, or combinations of them, as in parallel columns, to exhibit a set of facts or relations in a definite, compact, and comprehensive form; a synopsis or scheme.

10. Astronomy. Table, the constellation Mensa.

11. a flat and relatively thin piece of wood, stone, metal, or other hard substance, especially one artificially shaped for a particular purpose.

12. Architecture.

    1. a course or band, especially of masonry, having a distinctive form or position.

    2. a distinctively treated surface on a wall.

13. a smooth, flat board or slab on which inscriptions may be put.

14. tables,

    1. the tablets on which certain collections of laws were anciently inscribed.

       the tables of the Decalogue.

    2. the laws themselves.

15. Anatomy. the inner or outer hard layer or any of the flat bones of the skull.

16. Music. a sounding board.

17. Jewelry.

    1. the upper horizontal surface of a faceted gem.

    2. a gem with such a surface.

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verb (used with object)

• tables,
  present (3rd person singular)
• tabled,
  past participle,  past
• tabling
  present participle

1. to place (a card, money, etc.) on a table.

2. to enter in or form into a table or list.

3. Parliamentary Procedure.

   1. Chiefly U.S. to lay aside (a proposal, resolution, etc.) for future discussion, usually with a view to postponing or shelving the matter indefinitely.

   2. British. to present (a proposal, resolution, etc.) for discussion.

adjective

1. of, relating to, or for use on a table.

   a table lamp.

2. suitable for serving at a table or for eating or drinking.

   table grapes.

idioms

1. wait (on) table, to work as a waiter or waitress: Also wait tables.

   He worked his way through college by waiting table.

2. on the table,

   1. U.S. postponed.

   2. British. submitted for consideration.

3. turn the tables, to cause a reversal of an existing situation, especially with regard to gaining the upper hand over a competitor, rival, antagonist, etc.: We turned the tables on them and undersold them by 50 percent.

   Fortune turned the tables and we won.

   We turned the tables on them and undersold them by 50 percent.

4. under the table,

   1. drunk.

   2. as a bribe; secretly.

      She gave money under the table to get the apartment.

table British  

/ ˈteɪbəl /

noun

1. a flat horizontal slab or board, usually supported by one or more legs, on which objects may be placed

2. 1. such a slab or board on which food is served

      we were six at table

   2. ( as modifier )

      table linen

   3. ( in combination )

      a tablecloth

3. food as served in a particular household or restaurant

   a good table

4. such a piece of furniture specially designed for any of various purposes

   a backgammon table

   bird table

5. 1. a company of persons assembled for a meal, game, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      table talk

6. any flat or level area, such as a plateau

7. a rectangular panel set below or above the face of a wall

8. architect another name for cordon

9. an upper horizontal facet of a cut gem

10. music the sounding board of a violin, guitar, or similar stringed instrument

11. 1. an arrangement of words, numbers, or signs, usually in parallel columns, to display data or relations

       a table of contents

    2. See multiplication table

12. a tablet on which laws were inscribed by the ancient Romans, the Hebrews, etc

13. palmistry an area of the palm's surface bounded by four lines

14. printing a slab of smooth metal on which ink is rolled to its proper consistency

15. 1. either of the two bony plates that form the inner and outer parts of the flat bones of the cranium

    2. any thin flat plate, esp of bone

16. put forward for discussion and acceptance

    we currently have our final offer on the table

17. to cause a complete reversal of circumstances, esp to defeat or get the better of someone who was previously in a stronger position

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verb

1. to place on a table

2. to submit (a bill, etc) for consideration by a legislative body

3. to suspend discussion of (a bill, etc) indefinitely or for some time

4. to enter in or form into a list; tabulate

table More Idioms  

1. see clear out (the table); lay one's cards on the table; on the table; set the table; turn the tables; under the table; wait at table.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• tableful
  noun
• tableless
  adjective
• untabled
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• tables
  plural

Participles

• tabling
  present
• tabled
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• table
  simple
• tables
  simple
• have tabled
  perfect
• has tabled
  perfect
• am tabling
  progressive
• are tabling
  progressive
• is tabling
  progressive
• have been tabling
  perfect progressive
• has been tabling
  perfect progressive

Past

• tabled
  simple
• had tabled
  perfect
• was tabling
  progressive
• were tabling
  progressive
• had been tabling
  perfect progressive

Future

• will table
  simple
• will have tabled
  perfect
• will be tabling
  progressive
• will have been tabling
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of table

First recorded before 900; (noun) Middle English; Old English tabule, variant of tabula, from Latin: “plank, tablet”; (verb) late Middle English: “to record on a table, entertain at table,” derivative of the noun

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Explanation

The flat surface people sit around when they eat together is a table. A table can also be a chart full of information. When doing your taxes, you might use a tax table to determine how much you owe. Table is a very common noun, but it can also be used as a verb. In American English, the verb table means to set a matter aside indefinitely. For example, if state senators can't come to a compromise about new zoning laws, they might simply decide to table the issue. Confusingly, British English uses the verb table in precisely the opposite way: If members of the English Parliament table a piece of legislation, they formally submit it for discussion or debate.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

table tables tabled tabling

"Apparently she was holding as much of us as she could, and trying to get us under a table," said Aberfan survivor Paul Harries, who has spoken to the media for the first time.

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026

“Kate was talking about literally sweeping the table of everything and starting over,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

In addition to the price changes, the table includes forward price-to-earnings ratios based on Thursday’s closing prices and consensus earnings-per-share estimates among analysts polled by FactSet.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026

“I think I’ll have one of those,” I said, gesturing toward the other table.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

I slip my feet out of my Crocs and bury them in the cool grass under the table.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

"There used to be tables and chairs with people eating food and drinking by the river," said Mark Newlands, who lives a few doors down.

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026

OpenAI is turning the tables on Apple in their trade secret theft case.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026

Here is a summary of year-to-date returns, dividend yields and price ratios for the largest six U.S. banks’ stocks, leaving them in the same order as the tables above.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 11, 2026

Eero Saarinen produced the molded-fiberglass Pedestal chair, sweeping the seat and stem into a single sculptural form intended to eliminate what he called the “slum of legs” beneath tables and chairs.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026

From under tables appeared writing paper, books, knitting yarn, tins of biscuits.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

It is among a series of amendments, external the government has tabled for the legislation.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

Proposals tabled by Labour's Kim Leadbeater in 2024 to legalise assisted dying cleared the House of Commons on 20 June last year with a majority of 23.

From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026

He tabled an offer to buy Brewdog through his new beer firm, Second Best, claiming that 43,000 so-called equity punk investors had joined forces for the bid.

From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026

Privately-held Stripe and Advent tabled an offer to buy PayPal for $60.50 a share earlier this month, Reuters and the Financial Times reported, citing unnamed sources.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

Fisher Ames of Massachusetts wondered out loud why the House had allowed itself to be drawn intoa debate over “abstract propositions” and now urged that the committee report be tabled.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

Roberts said he hoped tabling throwing, at least for now, could help Ohtani’s offensive production.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026

The event will highlight Indigenous identity, art, dance and history and include performances, art workshops, educational videos and tabling by student and community organizations.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2025

Peers who are strongly against assisted dying could try and stop it through tabling lots of amendments.

From BBC ● Jun. 20, 2025

Anwar, who took power last November, announced the measures while tabling 2024 federal budget in Parliament.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 13, 2023

The meeting ended with Eisenhower tabling Stassen’s plan, ostensibly for the moment.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

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