1
adjective + dinner : candlelit, intimate, romantic
verb + dinner : cook, make, prepare
4
noun + dinner : awards, charity, fundraising, gala, reunion
adjective + dinner : black-tie, fancy, formal, posh; lavish, slap-up, sumptuous
verb + dinner : hold, host; attend
di n|ner dance (dinner dances ) also dinner-dance N‑COUNT A dinner dance is a social event where a large number of people come to have dinner and to dance. Dinner dances are held in the evening at hotels, restaurants, and social clubs. [BRIT ]
di n|ner jack|et (dinner jackets ) also dinner-jacket N‑COUNT A dinner jacket is a jacket, usually black, worn by men for formal social events. [BRIT ] in AM, use tuxedo
di n|ner par|ty (dinner parties ) N‑COUNT A dinner party is a social event where a small group of people are invited to have dinner and spend the evening at someone's house.
di n|ner ser|vice (dinner services ) N‑COUNT A dinner service is a set of plates and dishes from which meals are eaten and served. It may also include cups and saucers. [BRIT ] in AM, use dinnerware set
di n|ner ta|ble (dinner tables ) also dinner-table N‑COUNT [usu sing] You can refer to a table as the dinner table when it is being used for dinner. [BRIT ] □ Sam was left at the dinner table with Peg.
din|ner|time /d I nə r ta I m/ also dinner time N‑UNCOUNT [oft prep N ] Dinnertime is the period of the day when most people have their dinner. □ The telephone call came shortly before dinnertime.
din|ner|ware /d I nə r weə r / N‑UNCOUNT You can refer to the plates and dishes you use during a meal as dinnerware . [mainly AM ]
di n|ner|ware set (dinnerware sets ) N‑COUNT A dinnerware set is the same as a dinner service . [AM ]
di|no|saur /da I nəsɔː r / (dinosaurs )
1 N‑COUNT Dinosaurs were large reptiles which lived in prehistoric times.
2 N‑COUNT If you refer to an organization as a dinosaur , you mean that it is large, inefficient, and out of date. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ …industrial dinosaurs.
dint /d I nt/ PHRASE If you achieve a result by dint of something, you achieve it by means of that thing. [WRITTEN ] □ He succeeds by dint of sheer hard work.
di|oc|esan /da I ɒ s I sən/ ADJ [ADJ n] Diocesan means belonging or relating to a diocese. □ …the diocesan synod.
dio|cese /da I əs I s/ (dioceses ) N‑COUNT A diocese is the area over which a bishop has control.
di|ox|ide /da I ɒ ksa I d/ → see carbon dioxide
di|ox|in /da I ɒ ks I n/ (dioxins ) N‑VAR Dioxins are poisonous chemicals which occur as a by-product of the manufacture of certain weedkillers and disinfectants.
dip /d I p/ (dips , dipping , dipped )
1 VERB If you dip something in a liquid, you put it into the liquid for a short time, so that only part of it is covered, and take it out again. □ [V n + into/in ] Quickly dip the base in and out of cold water. ● N‑COUNT Dip is also a noun. □ One dip into the bottle should do an entire nail.
2 VERB If you dip your hand into a container or dip into the container, you put your hand into it in order to take something out of it. □ [V n + into ] She dipped a hand into the jar of sweets and pulled one out. □ [V + into ] Watch your fingers as you dip into the pot. □ [V n with in ] Ask the children to guess what's in each container by dipping their hands in.
3 VERB If something dips , it makes a downward movement, usually quite quickly. □ [V ] Blake jumped in expertly; the boat dipped slightly under his weight. □ [V prep] The sun dipped below the horizon. ● N‑COUNT Dip is also a noun. □ I noticed little things, a dip of the head, a twitch in the shoulder.
4 VERB If an area of land, a road, or a path dips , it goes down quite suddenly to a lower level. □ [V ] The road dipped and rose again. □ [V adv/prep] …a path which suddenly dips down into a tunnel. ● N‑COUNT Dip is also a noun. □ Where the road makes a dip, turn right.
5 VERB If the amount or level of something dips , it becomes smaller or lower, usually only for a short period of time. □ [V prep/adv] Unemployment dipped to 6.9 per cent last month. □ [V ] The president became more cautious as his popularity dipped. ● N‑COUNT Dip is also a noun. □ [+ in ] …the current dip in farm spending.
6 N‑VAR A dip is a thick creamy sauce. You dip pieces of raw vegetable or biscuits into the sauce and then eat them. □ Maybe we could just buy some dips. □ …prawns with avocado dip.
7 N‑COUNT If you have or take a dip , you go for a quick swim in the sea, a river, or a swimming pool. □ She flicked through a romantic paperback between occasional dips in the pool.
8 VERB If you are driving a car and dip the headlights, you operate a switch that makes them shine downwards, so that they do not shine directly into the eyes of other drivers. [BRIT ] □ [V n] He dipped his headlights as they came up behind a slow-moving van. □ [V -ed] This picture shows the view from a car using normal dipped lights. in AM, use dim 9 VERB If you dip into a book, you have a brief look at it without reading or studying it seriously. □ [V + into ] …a chance to dip into a wide selection of books on Buddhism.