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

Derived Forms

• ˈluncher, noun

Other Words From

• luncher noun
• lunchless adjective
• pre·lunch adjective noun

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, Slang. not paying attention or tending to business; negligent:

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

More idioms and phrases containing lunch

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

Example Sentences

His free lunches for every primary school child scheme was praised by a new independent report that found it had brought “significant benefits” for the capital’s children, parents and schools.

From BBC

She followed up in the debate with hard shots at Trump’s credentials as a patriot and a protector, saying that Putin would eat his lunch and military leaders said Trump was a disgrace.

From Salon

In Germany, school lunch is typically “universal,” meaning everyone is eligible to receive it and the vast majority of students do not regularly bring lunches from home, though they might bring their own snacks.

From Salon

It may be a construction worker with dirty boots and paint-stained hands ordering a few for lunch or an eager child who just got out of school looking for a warm snack.

From Salon

It met weekly for lunch at Oakmont Country Club on Wednesdays, with local coaches from the area giving updates and a special guest providing talks.

From Los Angeles Times