on the table
Idioms-
Up for discussion, as in There are two new proposals on the table . [Mid-1600s]
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Postponed or put aside for later consideration, as in When they adjourned, three items were put on the table until the next meeting . [First half of 1700s] The table in both idioms is a figurative conference table. Also see lay one's cards on the table .
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.
A famous study showed that individuals often fail in this allocation problem, literally leaving free money on the table.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
With short-term Treasurys and money funds yielding roughly 4%, waiting in the short end of the market is a paid position rather than money left on the table.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
And Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg told BBC Sport the prospect of taking international cricket's most storied - and marketable - Test rivalry to India should be on the table.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
Maybe it’s lower lighting, good hand soap in the bathroom or a beautiful bread course placed on the table before anyone has had time to wonder whether they are hungry.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
Andre pounds his fist on the table, shaking our water glasses and drawing the attention of the family in the next booth.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
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.
