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# tablecloth

noun (a tablecloth, tablecloths)

«tablecloth» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

A tablecloth is a large piece of cloth that covers a table, especially during meals, to protect it and make it look nice. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tablecloth/#m1)

### In the lessons

In everyday life tablecloths are used for meals, parties and picnics; children may help lay or clear the table. In safety, small children can pull on a hanging tablecloth and bring hot drinks or heavy things down on themselves. In science «the tablecloth trick» (pulling it away quickly while dishes stay) shows inertia. Phrases: «lay a tablecloth», «a clean tablecloth», «the tablecloth trick».

### Examples

- Put the tablecloth on before we lay the table. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tablecloth/#x1)
- I spilled juice on the white tablecloth. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tablecloth/#x2)
- Grandma's tablecloth has lace edges. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tablecloth/#x3)
- The magician pulled the tablecloth away and the plates stayed still. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tablecloth/#x4)
- Don't let the baby pull on the tablecloth; the teapot could fall. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tablecloth/#x5)
- We spread a tablecloth on the grass for our picnic. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tablecloth/#x6)
- After dinner, shake the crumbs off the tablecloth outside. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tablecloth/#x7)
- The tablecloth has a red and white checked pattern. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tablecloth/#x8)
- In the middle of the room there stood a little table, covered with a white tablecloth, and seven little plates and forks and spoons and knives and tumblers. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tablecloth/#x9)

### Note

Countable: «a tablecloth», plural «tablecloths». One word. The tablecloth trick works because of inertia: objects stay still unless a force acts on them long enough; do not try it with good dishes.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «tablecloth» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tablecloth/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«tablecloth» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/tablecloth.html) on Mova free.