to eat the main meal of the day, usually in the evening, to entertain someone by providing them with a meal

make a meal of something, bite off more than one can chew, have a lot on one's plate

dine out, dine in, wine and dine

Formal and Informal Expressions of dine

In different contexts, you can replace 'dine' with suitable alternatives. In a more formal setting, 'dine' is apt. In informal speech or writing, 'eat, chow down' is a commonplace synonym.

dine: Explore its Definition & Usage

dine Definition

1to eat the main meal of the day, usually in the evening
2to entertain someone by providing them with a meal

Using dine: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "dine" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

Example
We usually dine at 7 pm.
Example
They dined on lobster and champagne.
Example
The couple was dining at a fancy restaurant.
Example
He invited his boss to dine with him.

dine Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for dine

eat
feast
banquet
host
entertain

Antonyms for dine

Idioms Using dine

make a meal of something
to exaggerate the importance or difficulty of something
Example
He made a meal of the situation, even though it was a minor issue.
bite off more than one can chew
to take on more responsibility or work than one can handle
Example
She bit off more than she could chew by accepting two jobs at the same time.
have a lot on one's plate
to have a lot of things to do or deal with
Example
He has a lot on his plate with his new job and family responsibilities.

Phrases with dine

dine out
to eat a meal, especially dinner, away from home, usually at a restaurant
Example
We decided to dine out at our favorite Italian restaurant.
dine in
to eat a meal, especially dinner, at home or in one's own residence
Example
I prefer to dine in with my family rather than going out.
wine and dine
to entertain someone by providing them with good food and drink, especially in a luxurious setting
Example
The company wined and dined their clients at an expensive restaurant.

Origins of dine

from Old French 'disner', meaning 'to dine'

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Summary: dine in Brief

'Dine' [daɪn] means to eat the main meal of the day, usually in the evening, or to entertain someone by providing them with a meal. It can be used in phrases like 'dine out' or 'dine in,' and idioms like 'make a meal of something.' 'Dine' is a formal term for eating, and synonyms include 'feast' and 'banquet.'