dinner servicen.
/ˈdɪnə ˌsəːvɪs/, U.S. /ˈdɪnər ˌsərvəs/ 1. A set of matching plates, bowls, etc., used for serving dinner. Cf. service n.1 31a, dinner set n. at dinner n. Compounds 3.
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1765 Public Advertiser 8 Apr. A most beautiful Desert, or a small Dinner Service of the Chelsea Porcelaine, Blue and Gold.
1811 Morning Chron. 23 Mar. A complete and extensive dinner service of Anspach Porcelain.
1968 Guardian 9 July 7/5 Their bargain dinner service..costs £4 5s.
2007 Express It (Aer Annan) No. 30. 50/1 There are considerable savings on plush homewares—Descamps towels, sleek Le Creuset utensils and dinner services by Villeroy & Boch.
2. The serving of dinner, esp. to a number of people at the same time, as in a restaurant, etc.; (also) the period in which this occurs. Cf. service n.1 30b.
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the world > food and drink > food > meal > [noun] > sitting of meal
dinner service1828
service1891
sitting1894
1828 Leicester Jrnl. 22 Aug. Dinner Service will begin at 19 o'clock.
1881 Atlantic Monthly Jan. 82/1 Smith [sc. a servant]..is always in evening dress, and wears white cotton gloves..during dinner service.
1946 N.Y. Times 7 Jan. 22/4 On Saturdays, the dinner service starts fifteen minutes earlier.
2013 J. Lohmann Reservations for Two xxii. 221 Her dishwasher seemed unlikely to toss his apron in the sink and walk out during a busy dinner service.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2021).
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n.1765