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.
Gavilan collects cardboard and scrap metal for a living but it no longer puts food on the table.
From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026
Environmental advocates warn that the proposal on the table will harm the ecosystem.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026
Pakistan is due to host the parties on Friday - with a US 15-point plan and an Iranian 10-point set of counter-proposals seemingly on the table as starting points for the negotiations.
From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026
JBS executives have said the company’s proposals to the union were fair and remain on the table.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026
When Big Gen started setting breakfast on the table, my eyes got as big as goose eggs.
From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls
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.
