English Explanatory Dictionary

cater

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To provide, particularly
  2. To provide
  3. To provide with food, especially for a special occasion as a professional service.
  4. To provide anything required or desired, often (derogatory) to pander.
  5. To tailor something to an intended audience.
noun
  1. Synonym of acater: an officer who purchased cates (food supplies) for the steward of a large household or estate.
  2. Synonym of caterer: any provider of food.
  3. Synonym of purveyor: any provider of anything.
verb
  1. To place, set, move, or cut diagonally or rhomboidally.
adv
  1. Diagonally.
noun
  1. Four.
  2. The four of cards or dice.
  3. A method of ringing nine bells in four pairs with a ninth tenor bell.
name
  1. A surname originating as an occupation.

Pronunciation

/ˈkeɪtə/ /ˈkeɪɾɚ/ en-us-cater.ogg /ˈkeʈə(ɾ)/ /ˈkaʈə(ɾ)/ /ˈkatə/ /ˈkeɪtəɹ/

Word forms

cater caters catering catered catour cator kater chator catre quatre

Etymology

From Middle English catour (“acater, provisioner”), aphetic form of acatour (“acater”), from Old French acater (“to buy, to purchase”). Equivalent to cate + -er.

Synonyms

acater caterer purveyor

Derived words

caterer cateress cater-waiter catery self-catering self-catered cater-corner catercross cater-snozzle caterways caterwise cut cater cater-point cater-trey
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