tray — a flat, shallow container used for carrying food, drinks, or other items
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a flat, shallow container used for carrying food, drinks, or other items
Pronunciation (IPA): /treɪ/
Example Sentences
- The waiter dropped the tray and all the dishes went flying like a food tornado!
- Mom uses the breakfast tray to serve dad coffee in bed every Sunday.
- The cat thinks the empty tray is his personal sliding board.
tray
NOUN[/treɪ/]
a flat, shallow container used for carrying food, drinks, or other items
The waiter balanced a tray of champagne glasses through the crowded ballroom.
She placed the breakfast dishes on a tray and carried everything upstairs at once. (carry things together on a flat platform)
She placed the food on the tray, told everyone to stay, and carefully carried it all the way to the picnic spot.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word 'tray' derives from Old English 'trog', which originally meant a shallow wooden vessel or container. Over time, the term evolved to denote a flat, portable dish made from various materials, used for carrying or serving items.
Breakdown
trog (Old English: shallow wooden vessel) → tray; the semantic shift reflects a broadening from a specific wooden form to any flat carrying vessel regardless of material.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The waiter dropped the tray and all the dishes went flying like a food tornado!”
“Mom uses the breakfast tray to serve dad coffee in bed every Sunday.”
“The cat thinks the empty tray is his personal sliding board.”
“Please place your electronic devices in the security tray.”
📚Related Words
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