be mother

verb

To pour out tea for others.

“Ah, here are the cakes and tea; shall I be mother?”

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Meanings

verbbe mother (no third-person singular simple present, present participle being mother, no simple past, past participle been mother)

participle present being mother · participle past been mother · alternative be mum

  1. UKidiomaticno pastTo pour out tea for others.

    Ah, here are the cakes and tea; shall I be mother?

    2 more examples

    They went to a cafe and had afternoon tea. 'Shall l be mother?' Marcus said, lifting a utilitarian brown teapot, all cosied up in something that looked like a bobble hat.

    2009, Kate Atkinson, When Will There Be Good News?, page 277

    'Be mother, will you, Charity? Teile and Letizia have a watered-down version.' So they had a pleasant tea, although Charity kept an anxious eye on the clock, keen not to outstay her welcome.

    2012, Betty Neels, The Final Touch

Origin

Pouring tea is traditionally the mother's role in a family setting.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

French servir le thé
  • servir le théto pour out tea for others
Italian versare il tè, servire il tè
  • versare il tèto pour out tea for others
  • servire il tèto pour out tea for others
Japanese お茶を注ぐ
  • お茶を注ぐ (ocha o tsugu)to pour out tea for others
Russian разлива́ть чай
  • разлива́ть чай (razlivátʹ čaj)to pour out tea for others
Cite this entry
APA

be mother. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/be%20mother

MLA

“be mother.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/be%20mother. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “be mother,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/be%20mother.

Source: be mother on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.