to eat the principal meal of the day; have dinner.
to take any meal.
(intr) to eat dinner
(intr; often foll by on, off, or upon) to make one's meal (of)
the guests dined upon roast beef
informal (tr) to entertain to dinner (esp in the phrase wine and dine someone )
The name Diné comes from the Native Athabascan language of the tribe, and it is preferred by many over Navajo, a name assigned by Spanish missionaries. Nevertheless, Navajo and Navaho are still in use and remain acceptable.
1250–1300; Middle English dinen < Anglo-French, Old French di ( s ) ner < Vulgar Latin *disjējūnāre to break one's fast, equivalent to Latin dis- dis- 1 + Late Latin jējūnāre to fast; see jejune
First recorded in 1915–20; a self-designation meaning “The People”; see also Navajo ( def. )
To dine is to eat a meal, particularly the last meal of the day. When you invite friends over for dinner, you can ask them if they'd like to dine with you. You can dine at home, or dine at a fancy restaurant — in either case, you're eating dinner. If someone tells you they "dine out on" a funny story, they mean it's endlessly entertaining and buys them a lot of good will and amusement. The verb dine comes from the Old French disner, "to dine" or "to have a meal," from desjunare, "to break one's fast."
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Guests can dine at The Drake or the acclaimed St. Paul Grill, both located on-site, and room service is available for quieter mornings.
From Salon • Jun. 11, 2026
In November 2017, Xi honored Trump by making him the first foreign leader to dine in Beijing’s Forbidden City since the founding of modern China in 1949.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026
This time he is expected to dine at the Great Hall of the People, an imposing structure off Tiananmen Square that hosts high-level gatherings of the Chinese Communist Party.
From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026
He let his feelings be known in a post on social media, first thanking customers who chose to dine at his pub and complimented his team on the day.
From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026
Ms. Blinny says, “Hmm. Yes. Cafeterias can be isolating. It’s always best to dine with a friend. And you’re right about the crowding. Merrimack has to catch up to itself. This town is full!”
From "The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle" by Leslie Connor
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
