lunch

[ luhnch ]

/ lʌntʃ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR lunch ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a light midday meal between breakfast and dinner; luncheon.

any light meal or snack.

a restaurant or lunchroom: Let's eat at the dairy lunch.

verb (used without object)

to eat lunch: We lunched quite late today.

verb (used with object)

to provide lunch for: They lunched us in regal fashion.

RELATED WORDS

luncheon, snack, tea

Nearby words

Idioms

out to lunch, Slang. not paying attention or tending to business; negligent: You must have been out to lunch when you wrote that weird report.

Origin of lunch

First recorded in 1585–95; short for luncheon

Related formslunch·er, nounlunch·less, adjectivepre·lunch, adjective, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for lunch

According to the USDA, student participation began to fall, with 1.4 million students opting out of the lunch program entirely.
The Republican War on Kale|Patricia Murphy|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Two Indonesian airlines, Garuda and Lion Air, have seen Fernandes eat their lunch and are only now responding.
Annoying Airport Delays Might Prevent You From Becoming the Next AirAsia 8501|Clive Irving|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
On one summer lunch hour, Donna Ann Levonuk, 50, lifted a tub of diaper cream priced at $43.98—and then stashed it in her purse.
The Insane $11 Billion Scam at Retailers’ Return Desks|M.L. Nestel|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I'm to be at his Universal bungalow at twelve-thirty for lunch, to meet him for the first time, going to see a man about a job.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days|David Freeman|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Then, after lunch, another story meeting, a film, or my own work session, alone.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days|David Freeman|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But as he was disposed to be too friendly, and to claim too large a share of the lunch, we rather gave him the cold shoulder.
Riverby|John Burroughs
He ate his lunch, but did not need to start on the second trip until the middle of the afternoon.
Freckles|Gene Stratton-Porter
The naval officer was there because the hour of the midday meal on board the cruiser did not coincide with lunch time on shore.
A Rock in the Baltic|Robert Barr
"You'd better hurry if you're going to be ready for lunch," she said coldly.
More William|Richmal Crompton
Sticking this into my pocket, I made ready to get under way, but there was nothing for it but that I must lunch with them all.
A Journal From Our Legation in Belgium|Hugh Gibson

British Dictionary definitions for lunch

lunch

/ (lʌntʃ) /

noun

a meal eaten during the middle of the day

Caribbean (among older people) mid-afternoon tea

verb

(intr) to eat lunch

(tr) to provide or buy lunch for

Derived Formsluncher, noun

Word Origin for lunch

C16: probably short form of luncheon

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for lunch

lunch

"mid-day repast," 1786, shortened form of luncheon (q.v.). The verb meaning "to take to lunch" (said to be from the noun) also is attested from 1786:

PRATTLE. I always to be ſure, makes a point to keep up the dignity of the family I lives in. Wou'd you take a more ſolid refreſhment?--Have you lunch'd, Mr. Bribe?

BRIBE. Lunch'd O dear! Permit me, my dear Mrs. Prattle, to refreſh my sponge, upon the honey dew that clings to your raviſhing pouters. O! Mrs. Prattle, this ſhall be my lunch. (kiſſes)

["The Mode," in William Davies' "Plays Written for a Private Theatre," London, 1786]

But as late as 1817 the only definition of lunch in Webster's is "a large piece of food." OED says in 1820s the word "was regarded either as a vulgarism, or as a fashionable affectation." Related: Lunched; lunching. Lunch money is attested from 1868; lunch-time (n.) is from 1821; lunch hour is from 1840. Slang phrase out to lunch "insane, stupid, clueless" first recorded 1955, on notion of being "not there." Old English had nonmete "afternoon meal," literally "noon-meat."

Idioms and Phrases with lunch

lunch

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

lunch

noun

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Idioms

Origin of lunch

Examples from the Web for lunch

lunch

noun

verb

Word Origin for lunch

lunch

lunch