[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/teatime/)

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# teatime

noun (teatime — uncountable)

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

## Everyday

1. (UK, Ireland, Australia, NZ) The time in the late afternoon or early evening when people eat their evening meal, often called «tea». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/teatime/#m1)
2. (UK) The time in the afternoon when people have a cup of tea and maybe cake or biscuits. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/teatime/#m2)

### In the lessons

In British, Irish, Australian and NZ homes, «tea» can mean the evening meal, so «teatime» is about dinner time (often around 5 or 6 pm). In stories it shows a cosy family moment. In maths it appears in time problems. Phrases: «at teatime», «by teatime», «teatime treat».

### Examples

- Come home by teatime! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/teatime/#x1)
- We had fish fingers at teatime. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/teatime/#x2)
- Grandma always has cake at teatime. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/teatime/#x3)
- Don't eat biscuits now — it's nearly teatime. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/teatime/#x4)
- Teatime is at six o'clock in our house. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/teatime/#x5)
- If teatime is at 5:30 pm and it is 4:45 pm now, there are 45 minutes to wait. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/teatime/#x6)
- The cat always comes in at teatime. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/teatime/#x7)
- But at teatime another thing happened. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/teatime/#x8)

### Note

One word, sometimes «tea time». Trap: in the UK, Ireland, Australia and NZ «tea» may mean a whole meal, not just the drink; Americans usually say «dinner» or «supper». The exact hour differs between families.

## On Mova

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