tea
tea
/tiː/
a packet of tea
I spooned the tea into the pot.
a blend of different teas (= types of tea)
SEE ALSO green tea, milk tea
Collocations
adjective
… of tea
verb + tea
tea + verb
tea + noun
2 uncountable, countable a hot drink made by pouring boiling water onto tea leaves. It may be drunk with milk or lemon and/or sugar added. a cup of tea
A pot of tea for two, please.
iced tea
Would you like tea or coffee?
I don't drink tea.
Do you take sugar in your tea?
Collocations
adjective
… of tea
verb + tea
tea + verb
tea + noun
preposition
in your tea
phrases
tea and coffee
tea or coffee
tea and biscuits…
Two teas, please.
camomile/mint/herbal tea
5 uncountable, countable (British English) the name used by some people in the UK for the cooked meal eaten in the evening, especially when it is eaten early in the evening You can have your tea as soon as you come home from school.
Collocations
adjective
tea + noun
6 uncountable, countable (British English) a light meal eaten in the afternoon or early evening, usually with sandwiches and/or biscuits and cakes and with tea to drink Would you like to come to tea on Sunday?
I cleared away the tea things.
Idioms
Word Origin
mid 17th cent.: probably via Malay from Chinese (Min dialect) te; related to Mandarin chá. Compare with char (noun - sense 2).