dumbwaiter

American  

[duhm-wey-ter] / ˈdʌmˌweɪ tər /

noun

1. a small elevator, manually or electrically operated, consisting typically of a box with shelves, used in apartment houses, restaurants, and large private dwellings for moving dishes, food, garbage, etc., between floors.

2. British.

   1. an auxiliary serving table.

   2. a serving stand with tiers of revolving shelves.

   3. a serving cart.

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dumbwaiter British  

/ ˈdʌmˌweɪtə /

noun

1. 1. a stand placed near a dining table to hold food

   2. US and Canadian name: lazy Susan.  a revolving circular tray placed on a table to hold food

2. a lift for carrying food, rubbish, etc, between floors

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Etymology

Origin of dumbwaiter

First recorded in 1745–55; dumb + waiter

Example Sentences

Said Wes Lambert, owner of Dumbwaiter Restaurant, “It’s going to hurt a lot of people down here, us included.”

From Washington Times • Jan. 31, 2021

Off Broadway The Dumbwaiter and The Collection, by Harold Pinter, are strange, funny, terrifying one-acters that enigmatically glimpse the contortions, evasions, and inarticulateness of human beings groping for contact with one another.

From Time Magazine Archive

In The Dumbwaiter, two men, Ben and Gus, loll on iron cots in a mottled green basement room and bandy naggingly repetitive small talk.

From Time Magazine Archive

In The Dumbwaiter, there is an acrimonious exchange about whether one "lights the kettle" or "lights the gas," a typically childlike confusion in getting the hang of words.

From Time Magazine Archive

The Dumbwaiter and The Collection are superior theatergoing gifts from Britain's greatly gifted Harold Pinter.

From Time Magazine Archive

Related Words

• escalator