tablecloth

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 →

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 →
• I spilled juice on the white tablecloth. tree →
• Grandma's tablecloth has lace edges. tree →
• The magician pulled the tablecloth away and the plates stayed still. tree →
• Don't let the baby pull on the tablecloth; the teapot could fall. tree →
• We spread a tablecloth on the grass for our picnic. tree →
• After dinner, shake the crumbs off the tablecloth outside. tree →
• The tablecloth has a red and white checked pattern. tree →
• 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 →

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.