tea

[tee] /ti/
noun
1.
the dried and prepared leaves of a shrub, Camellia sinensis, from which a somewhat bitter, aromatic beverage is prepared by infusion in hot water.
2.
the shrub itself, extensively cultivated in China, Japan, India, etc., and having fragrant white flowers.
Compare tea family.
3.
the beverage so prepared, served hot or iced.
4.
any kind of leaves, flowers, etc., so used, or any plant yielding them.
5.
any of various infusions prepared from the leaves, flowers, etc., of other plants, and used as beverages or medicines.
6.
beef bouillon.
7.
British. any meal, whether a light snack or one consisting of several courses, eaten in the late afternoon or in the evening; any meal other than dinner, eaten after the middle of the afternoon.
8.
an afternoon reception at which tea is served.
9.
Slang. marijuana.
Idioms
10.
one's cup of tea, something suitable, appropriate, or attractive to one:
Horror movies and westerns are just not my cup of tea.
Origin
1590-1600; 1940-45 for def 9; < dialectal Chinese (Xiamen) t'e, akin to Chinese chá
Related forms
tealess, adjective
Can be confused
tea, tee.
Examples from the web for tea
  • He enjoys drinking tea and has a special fondness for confectionery.
  • Along with tea, curry is one of the few dishes or drinks that is truly panasian.
  • During the tang dynasty, tea was synonymous with everything sophisticated in society.
  • Western examples of these are afternoon tea and the tea party.
  • The temperature and strength of the tea likewise varies widely.
  • Toasting also likely imparted a pleasant flavour to the resulting tea.
  • tea in this period was enjoyed more for its patterns and less for its flavour.
  • This was due to the fact that tea leaves do not preserve as well as tea bricks.
  • Green tea is served in many companies during afternoon breaks.
  • This tea is sweetened with sugar and condensed milk and served chilled.
British Dictionary definitions for tea

tea

/tiː/
noun
1.
an evergreen shrub or small tree, Camellia sinensis, of tropical and subtropical Asia, having toothed leathery leaves and white fragrant flowers: family Theaceae
2.
  1. the dried shredded leaves of this shrub, used to make a beverage by infusion in boiling water
  2. such a beverage, served hot or iced
  3. (as modifier): tea caddy, tea urn
3.
  1. any of various plants that are similar to Camellia sinensis or are used to make a tealike beverage
  2. any such beverage
4.
(mainly Brit)
  1. Also called afternoon tea. a light meal eaten in mid-afternoon, usually consisting of tea and cakes, biscuits, or sandwiches
  2. (as modifier): a tea party
  3. Also called high tea. afternoon tea that also includes a light cooked dish
5.
(Brit & Austral, NZ) the main evening meal
6.
(US & Canadian, old-fashioned, slang) marijuana
7.
(informal) tea and sympathy, a caring attitude, esp to someone in trouble
Word Origin
C17: from Chinese (Amoy) t'e, from Ancient Chinese d`a
Word Origin and History for tea
n.

1650s, earlier chaa (1590s, from Portuguese cha), from Malay teh and directly from Chinese (Amoy dialect) t'e, in Mandarin ch'a. First known in Paris 1635, the practice of drinking tea was first introduced to England 1644.

The distribution of the different forms of the word reflects the spread of use of the beverage. The modern English form, along with French thé, Spanish te, German Tee, etc., derive via Dutch thee from the Amoy form, reflecting the role of the Dutch as the chief importers of the leaves (through the Dutch East India Company, from 1610). The Portuguese word (attested from 1550s) came via Macao; and Russian chai, Persian cha, Greek tsai, Arabic shay, and Turkish çay all came overland from the Mandarin form.

Meaning "afternoon meal at which tea is served" is from 1738. Slang meaning "marijuana" (which sometimes was brewed in hot water) is attested from 1935, felt as obsolete by late 1960s. Tea ball is from 1895.

Slang definitions & phrases for tea

tea

noun
  1. (also T) Marijuana (1935+ Narcotics)
  2. A marijuana cigarette; joint, tea-stick (1935+ Narcotics)
  3. A stimulant, often cocaine or strychnine, given to a racehorse to increase its speed (1951+ Horse racing)
Related Terms

cup of tea, pink tea, stick of tea, weed tea

[the narcotics senses probably fr use of tea as winking and ironic concealment]


Related Abbreviations for tea

TEA

torque equilibrium attitude
Idioms and Phrases with tea

tea

see: