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table

Flag: gbEnglishOxford Dictionary of English
table /ˈteɪbl /
▸ noun
1 a piece of furniture with a flat top and one or more legs, providing a level surface for eating, writing, or working at:
she put the plate on the table
he rang the restaurant to book a table for lunch.
▪ [in singular] food provided in a restaurant or household:
he was reputed to have the finest French table of the time.
▪ a group seated at table for a meal:
the whole table was in gales of laughter.
▪ (the table) a meeting place or forum for formal discussions held to settle an issue or dispute:
the negotiating table.
▪ [in singular] Bridge the dummy hand (which is exposed on the table).
2 a set of facts or figures systematically displayed, especially in columns:
the population has grown, as shown in table 1.
▪ a list of rivals or competitors showing their positions relative to one another; a league table:
the team's slide down the First Division table.
▪ (tables) multiplication tables:
children at the school have spelling tests and learn their tables.
▪ Computing a collection of data stored in memory as a series of records, each defined by a unique key stored with it.
3 Architecture a flat, typically rectangular, vertical surface; a panel.
▪ a horizontal moulding, especially a cornice.
▪ a slab of wood or stone bearing an inscription.
▪ a flat surface of a gem.
▪ a cut gem with two flat faces.
▪ each half or quarter of a folding board for backgammon.
▸ verb [with object]
1 British English present formally for discussion or consideration at a meeting:
more than 200 amendments to the bill have already been tabled.
2 mainly US English postpone consideration of:
I'd like the issue to be tabled for the next few months.
3 Sailing strengthen (a sail) by making a hem at the edge.
– PHRASES
at table seated at a table eating a meal.
lay something on the table
1 make something known so that it can be freely discussed.
2 mainly US English
postpone something indefinitely.
on the table /ˌɒn ðə ˈteɪbl /
offered for discussion:
our offer remains on the table.
turn the tables
reverse one's position relative to someone else, especially by turning a position of disadvantage into one of advantage:
police invited householders to a seminar on how to turn the tables on burglars.
under the table
1 informal
very drunk:
by 3.30 everybody was under the table.
2 (especially of making a payment) secretly or covertly:
he accepted a slew of payoffs under the table.
– DERIVATIVES
tableful /ˈteɪblfʊl / noun
(plural tablefuls)
– ORIGIN Old English tabule ‘flat slab, inscribed tablet’, from Latin tabula ‘plank, tablet, list’, reinforced in Middle English by Old French table.