meal /ˈmiːl/noun 9verb 2forms 3phrases 4 noun9 •an amount of food prepared and eaten at a usual time of day, such as lunch or dinnerBreakfast is the morning meal, lunch is the noon meal, and dinner, or supper, is the evening meal. •Food served or eaten as a repast.If thou wilt fare well at meat and meal, come and follow me. — 1450 •The ground-up edible part of various grains, used as a basis of food or feed; either flour or a coarser blend than flour (usage varies). •Any of various similarly granular materials prepared from other sources, such as bones or wood. •Any of various other granular or powdery materials, either ground by humans or occurring in nature, named figuratively after a resemblance to grain meal. •(informal) A break taken by a police officer in order to eat.They [tape recorders] can be turned off while officers are on meal or in the car to protect their private conversations […] — 1994 •A part; a fragment; a portion. •(dialect, UK) A speck or spot. •(no longer used) A time or an occasion.Ye wolde wepe at every mele; But for my sone wepe ye never a dele. You would weep at every meal, but for my son you never weep a deal. — 1847 verb2 •To defile or taint.Were he meal'd with that / Which he corrects, than were he tyrannous. — 1603 •(no longer used) To yield or be plentiful in meal. formsmealed · mealing · meals Phrases with meal cat in the meal-tubSomething concealed; a hidden danger. make a meal ofTo eat something as a meal. meal ticketA ticket or voucher that can be exchanged for food. square mealA (nutritionally) complete and satisfying meal, especially one suitable for a person performing physical labour.
