tea
(tiː )
Word forms: teas
1. variable noun A1
Tea is a drink made by adding hot water to tea leaves or tea bags. Many people add milk to the drink and some add sugar.
...a cup of tea.
Would you like some tea?
Four or five men were drinking tea from flasks.
A cup of tea can be referred to as a tea.
Would anybody like a tea or coffee?
2. mass noun [usually noun NOUN] A1
Drinks such as mint tea or chamomile tea are made by pouring hot water on the dried leaves of the particular plant or flower.
3. variable noun A1
The chopped dried leaves of the plant that tea is made from is referred to as tea.
...a packet of tea.
America imports about 190 million pounds of tea a year.
Earl Grey, Darjeeling and Jasmine are best-selling traditional teas.
4. variable noun B1
Tea is a meal some people eat in the late afternoon. It consists of food such as sandwiches and cakes, with tea to drink. [British]
I'm doing the sandwiches for tea.
I took her to tea at the Ritz.
5. See also afternoon tea, high tea, meal
6. variable noun B1
Some people refer to the main meal that they eat in the early part of the evening as tea. [British]
At five o'clock he comes back for his tea.
7. sb's cup of tea phrase
If you say that someone or something is not your cup of tea, you mean that they are not the kind of person or thing that you like.
Politics was not his cup of tea.
I know I'm not everyone's cup of tea.
Image of tea
© 01/05/2018, Shutterstock
Quotations:
Tea to the English is really a picnic indoorsThe Color Purple
Look here, Steward, if this is coffee, I want tea; but if this is tea, then I wish for coffee Punch
Idioms:
something is not your cup of tea
said to mean that you are not very interested in something
It's no secret that I've never been the greatest traveller. Sitting for hours on motorways is not my cup of tea.
Easy Learning Idioms Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
someone would not do something for all the tea in China
said to emphasize that someone definitely does not want to do something
He would not change his job for all the tea in China.
Easy Learning Idioms Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Collocations:
drink tea weak tea
Apparently in Australia they don't drink tea when the weather's hot.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
In addition, drink tea or coffee with skimmed milk.
The Sun (2012)
Drink camomile tea and milky drinks before bedtime.
The Sun (2010)
There are endless glasses of weak tea from the coal-fired samovars at the end of each carriage that sizzle and hiss all night.
Times, Sunday Times
They said the tycoon also demanded a cup of weak tea and burnt toast be waiting for him at 7am.
The Sun
He would rise at 6am each day to eat the same breakfast - weak tea and toast grilled to the verge of charcoal.
Times, Sunday Times
Dilute if necessary: it should be the colour of weak tea and will only last for a month.
Times, Sunday Times
Dilute it one to ten, or to the colour of weak tea.
Times, Sunday Times
Translations:
Chinese: 茶, 下午茶
Japanese: お茶, 夕食
- security force
- security guard
- security implications
- security intelligence
- security interest
- security issue
- security lapse
- security matter
- security official
- security operation
- security patrol
- security policy
- security precaution
- security procedure
- security protection
- security protocol
- security reasons
- security risk
- security situation
- security software
- security specialist
- security surveillance
- security system
- sedan
- sedan chair