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.
If Southampton are found guilty - and they have not issued any kind of denial - then all options are on the table for the independent disciplinary commission.
From BBC • May 19, 2026
Many of them compel me to yank my hair out, bang my head on the table, or do both simultaneously — if that’s possible.
From Salon • May 17, 2026
The HSA is one of the most underused accounts in American finance, and most people with one are leaving money on the table.
From MarketWatch • May 15, 2026
A miss isn’t even on the table as Nvidia has beaten sales estimates by an average of about 3% over the last three quarters.
From Barron's • May 14, 2026
Setting her pocketbook down on the table, she bent over to dig in it, her hair hanging down both sides of her face.
From "Firegirl" by Tony Abbott
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.
