bridge table: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Technical
Quick answer
What does “bridge table” mean?
A small, often folding table designed for playing cards.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A small, often folding table designed for playing cards.
The term may also refer to the specific seating arrangement or group of four players in the card game bridge.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is largely identical between UK and US English, with the core meaning of the object stable.
Connotations
Connotes a middle-class, often older, social pastime in both regions.
Frequency
Frequency is similar, though slightly higher in the UK where bridge has a longer traditional social standing.
Grammar
How to Use “bridge table” in a Sentence
set up a bridge tablegather around the bridge tablefold away the bridge tableVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used. Might appear in event planning or hospitality for social corporate events.
Academic
Used only in socio-historical studies of leisure activities.
Everyday
Used within specific hobbyist communities (card players).
Technical
Specific to furniture manufacturing and game equipment catalogues.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “bridge table”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “bridge table”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “bridge table”
- Confusing it with a 'picnic table' or 'coffee table'. Using 'bridge' without 'table' to mean the furniture item (e.g., 'We sat at the bridge').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
While specifically designed for bridge, it can be used for any card game or as a general-purpose small folding table.
Common features include a square or circular shape, a felt or baize playing surface, folding legs for portability, and often built-in cup holders or scorecard trays.
Yes, metonymically. For example, 'Our bridge table is meeting on Tuesday' refers to the group of four players.
No, it is a specialised item found primarily in households where card games like bridge or poker are regularly played.
A small, often folding table designed for playing cards.
Bridge table is usually formal, technical in register.
Bridge table: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbrɪdʒ ˌteɪbl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbrɪdʒ ˌteɪbl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: You need a BRIDGE to connect four players; a BRIDGE TABLE connects them for the game.
Conceptual Metaphor
A TABLE is a FOCAL POINT FOR SOCIAL INTERACTION.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary purpose of a bridge table?