dine out
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
To have dinner away from one's house, usually at a restaurant.
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
to go without dinner. "I DINED OUT to-day," would express the same among the very lower classes that "dining with Duke Humphrey" expresses among the middle and upper.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “dine out” mean?
To have dinner away from one's house, usually at a restaurant.
Is “dine out” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.