lunch

[luhnch]

noun

1. a light midday meal between breakfast and dinner; luncheon.

2. any light meal or snack.

3. a restaurant or lunchroom.

   Let's eat at the dairy lunch.

verb (used without object)

1. to eat lunch.

   We lunched quite late today.

verb (used with object)

1. to provide lunch for.

   They lunched us in regal fashion.

lunch

/ lʌntʃ /

noun

1. a meal eaten during the middle of the day

2. (among older people) mid-afternoon tea

verb

1. (intr) to eat lunch

2. (tr) to provide or buy lunch for

Other Word Forms

• luncher noun
• lunchless adjective
• prelunch adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of lunch¹

First recorded in 1585–95; short for luncheon

Word History and Origins

Origin of lunch¹

C16: probably short form of _luncheon

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. out to lunch, not paying attention or tending to business; negligent.

   You must have been out to lunch when you wrote that weird report.

see eat someone alive (someone's lunch); free lunch; lose one's lunch; out to (lunch).

Example Sentences

Both then gave the thumbs-up sign for the cameras before heading inside for lunch.

Read more on Barron's

Noman returned figures of 6-112 for his ninth haul of five wickets or more in Tests as South Africa lost their last four wickets for 53 runs an hour before lunch, having resumed on 216-6.

Read more on Barron's

When his students need lunch, their only options are the dollar store across the street or a gas station down the block.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Nearly half of the island’s public school students qualify for free or reduced lunch, and the local food pantry reports record demand every fall.

Read more on Salon

I know cities where co-workers socialize over after-work drinks or midday lunches, but in Vancouver, co-workers often catch up over afternoon dog walks at the beach or park.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal