luncheon

plural luncheons · alternative obsolete lunching · alternative obsolete lunchen · alternative obsolete slunchin · alternative obsolete lunshin · alternative obsolete lunchion · alternative obsolete lunchin

1. countableuncountableA formal meal served in the middle of the day.

   Most people thought the food at the luncheon was mediocre.

   2 more examples

   Now that she had rested and had fed from the luncheon tray Mrs. Broome had just removed, she had reverted to her normal gaiety. She looked cool in a grey tailored cotton dress with a terracotta scarf and shoes and her hair a black silk helmet.

   1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 2, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC

   Superintendent Chalmers: Well, Seymour, I made it — despite your directions. Principal Skinner: Ahhh, Superintendent Chalmers! Welcome! I hope you're prepared for an unforgettable luncheon.

   1996 April 14, Bill Oakley, “22 Short Films About Springfield” (00:03 from the start), in The Simpsons, season 7, episode 21, spoken by Superintendent Chalmers and Principal Skinner (Hank Azaria and Harry Shearer), segment "Skinner & The Superintendent", production code 3F18

2. New ZealandcountableuncountableA large, cheap, processed sausage served in thin slices.

   Ian bought the luncheon since it was on special.

   1 more example

   Filled Roll (x2) 1x luncheon, tomato, lettuce, and mayonnaise / 1x cheese and onion

   2014 June 3, John Pratt, Anna Eriksson, “Understanding differences in punishment”, in Contrasts in Punishment: An Explanation of Anglophone Excess and Nordic Exceptionalism, Taylor & Francis, →ISBN, page 31

   Synonyms: Belgium, devon, fritz, polony

3. countabledateduncountableAny midday meal; lunch.

   "Have you had luncheon?"

   1931, Carolyn Keene [Mildred Wirt Benson], The Mystery at Lilac Inn (Nancy Drew Mystery Stories), 2 edition, volume 4, New York: Grosset & Dunlap, page 4

4. countableobsoleteuncountableA lump of food.
5. countableobsoleteuncountableA portion of food taken at any time except at a regular meal; an informal or light repast.

   At twilight in the summer there is never anybody to fear—man, woman, or cat—in the chambers and at that hour the mice come out. They do not eat parchment or foolscap or red tape, but they eat the luncheon crumbs.

   1892, Walter Besant, chapter II, in The Ivory Gate […], New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], →OCLC

present singular third person luncheons · participle present luncheoning · participle past luncheoned · past luncheoned · alternative obsolete lunching · alternative obsolete lunchen · alternative obsolete slunchin · alternative obsolete lunshin · alternative obsolete lunchion · alternative obsolete lunchin

1. datedintransitiveTo eat luncheon.

   In the meantime, while ladies are luncheoning on chicken pie, or coursing in whirling britskas, performing all the singular ceremonies of a London morning in the heart of the season[…]

   1844, Benjamin Disraeli, Coningsby

2. raretransitiveTo serve luncheon to.

   To soften him up, a group of his fellows luncheoned him at the Jonathan Club in Los Angeles.

   1947 February 21, Norman F. Carroll, “[Class Notes] 09”, in Princeton Alumni Weekly, volume 47, number 19, Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, page 15, column 3

   5 more examples

   Towns welcomed us in our hundreds; M.P.’s luncheoned us, manufacturers turned out their warehouses, decorated them and feasted us; private families tea’d us on their lawns, but we were so true to our art that we always returned to—“papers!”

   1896 May 1, H. P. Robinson, “Digressions. V.—The Convention.”, in The British Journal of Photography, volume XLIII, number 1878, London: Henry Greenwood & Co., […], page 277, column 1

   This gentleman was presented by Colonel C. E. S. Wood, and was entertained here—wined, dined, tead, breakfasted, coffeed and luncheoned—and we bought his pictures.

   1909, The Public, page 109

   […] entertained him at the Bohemian Club; Edward D. Kneass, Jr., ’18, extended to him the greeting of the San Francisco Press Club; and Frank J. Taylor, ’18, luncheoned him at the Honolulu Club.

   1936, The Stanford Illustrated Review, volume 38, number 13, page 23, column 1

   A number of friends of Mrs. H. M. Richey, wife of H. M., luncheoned her on Thursday at the Warden Hotel.

   1939 February 4, “Detroit”, in Boxoffice, volume 34, number 11, Associated Publications, page 102, column 2

   Mrs. Harry (Sybil) Brand farewell-luncheoned her New York friends Monday (21), before taking off for Paris with John Haskell, representing TWA, on month’s vacation, first time over.

   1949 February 23, “Broadway”, in Variety, volume 173, number 11, New York, N.Y., page 54, column 2