dine
1 Americanverb (used without object)
-
to eat the principal meal of the day; have dinner.
-
to take any meal.
verb (used with object)
noun
verb phrase
noun
plural
Dinés,plural
Dinéadjective
noun
verb
-
(intr) to eat dinner
-
(intr; often foll by on, off, or upon) to make one's meal (of)
the guests dined upon roast beef
-
informal (tr) to entertain to dinner (esp in the phrase wine and dine someone )
Sensitive Note
The name Diné comes from the Native Athabascan language of the tribe, and it is preferred by many over Navajo, a name assigned by Spanish missionaries. Nevertheless, Navajo and Navaho are still in use and remain acceptable.
Other Word Forms
- predine verb (used without object)
Etymology
Origin of dine1
1250–1300; Middle English dinen < Anglo-French, Old French di ( s ) ner < Vulgar Latin *disjējūnāre to break one's fast, equivalent to Latin dis- dis- 1 + Late Latin jējūnāre to fast; jejune
Origin of Diné1
First recorded in 1915–20; a self-designation meaning “The People”; Navajo ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Related: Are Americans squandering their retirement savings on dining out?
From MarketWatch
In the stories he remembered, dragons dined on fair young maidens.
From Literature
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Black, crispy, often flat and square - dried seaweed, known locally as gim - is a humble staple on everyday dining tables across South Korea.
From BBC
I’m not sure how well I measure up, but I do keep a tight, ring-free dining room station and catch a glimmer of my father whenever I set down my glass.
He walked down a long corridor past a dining room and into a large sun-filled area full of tables and sofas and games and books.
From Literature
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.