refreshment
part of speech
noun (refreshment, refreshments)
meaning for a pupil
1) Refreshments are small amounts of food and drink offered at a meeting, show or party. tree →
2) Refreshment is the feeling of being fresh and rested again after being tired, hot or thirsty. tree →
3) (formal, joking) Refreshment can mean a drink, sometimes an alcoholic one. tree →
sense in the lessons
In everyday life notices say «Refreshments will be served» at school plays, sports days and fêtes. In maths problems refreshments are sold and children count money, cups and biscuits. Phrases: «light refreshments», «refreshments will be served», «a refreshment stand».
examples
- Refreshments will be served after the school concert. tree →
- The refreshment stall sold juice for 50p a cup. tree →
- We stopped at a café for some refreshment. tree →
- Light refreshments were provided at the meeting. tree →
- A cold glass of water was a real refreshment after the race. tree →
- The refreshment tent was busy at the fair. tree →
- If each cup of tea costs 80 cents, how much do 6 refreshments cost? tree →
- After travelling many stages and for many days, he reached a plain of marvellous beauty and refreshment. tree →
note
Usually plural for food and drink (refreshments). Uncountable «refreshment» for the feeling of being refreshed. Formal-sounding; in everyday talk people say «snacks and drinks». From the verb «refresh».
In the corpora
- In the middle is a dish of tarts that look so good that Alice wishes they'd hurry up and hand round the refreshments.
- For several weeks he refuses «his meals or intermediate light refreshments» (snacks between meals).
- "Refreshments" on an invitation can politely mean alcoholic drinks.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «refreshment» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.