dining off

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "dining off" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to describe the act of eating food, often in a context where one is enjoying a meal or referring to the food being consumed. Example: "We were dining off a delicious spread of Italian cuisine at the restaurant last night."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

Abandon hope of dining off Pine Sherbert Fountains tonight.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Half of Europe, even now, would be dining off the other half.

The New Yorker

She might as well be living in a fairy-tale castle, dining off enchanted golden plates that refill themselves every evening.

The New Yorker

To turn it around, Wasps would need to show more tactical flexibility; at this stage of the season they cannot rely on dining off errors.

The Guardian - Sport

But it would only catch a handful of the kind of personal dodges the comedian Jimmy Carr signed up to, not the massive profit-shuffling corporate giants have been dining off.

The Guardian - Opinion

On paper, the contest is hard to call; Mike has the greater number of blowouts under his belt, but anyone who has seen Béatrice dining off fresh teen-ager onscreen knows that this young gourmet can put it away.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

38 human-written examples

When it came to dining off-campus, our most delightful discovery was the one-star Le Cagnard just down the road in Haut-de-Cagnes, a pedestrian-only village wound as seamlessly around its hillside as stripes around a barber pole.

Forbes

"I've dined off that line for years," Hook said recently.

The New York Times - Sports

Six thousand guests dined off silver plates, feasting on food prepared by France's greatest chef, Vatel.

The Guardian - Travel

I dined off the pension he'd got for being crazy.

The Guardian - Books

The silence from the Lib Dems, who dined off Muslim votes in the aftermath of the Iraq war, has been deafening.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "dining off" to convey a sense of enjoying a meal or benefiting from something, especially in contexts related to food or resources. It can add a touch of elegance or sophistication to your writing.

Common error

While "dining off" is grammatically correct, it might sound overly formal or pretentious in everyday conversation. Opt for simpler alternatives like "eating" or "having" in casual settings.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "dining off" functions primarily as a verb phrase acting as the predicate of a clause. It describes the action of eating or benefiting from something. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and appears in several examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Wiki

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Science

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "dining off" is a grammatically sound prepositional phrase that conveys the act of enjoying a meal or benefiting from something. According to Ludwig, the phrase is correct and appears in several reliable sources. While it is more formal than casual, it's still appropriate for neutral contexts like news and media. When writing, remember that, although accurate, overuse can be affected, and opting for simpler verbs in the right context might be better. Semantically similar alternatives include phrases like "eating from" and "feasting on".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

eating from

Focuses on the action of eating from a source, altering the verb but maintaining the core meaning.

feasting on

Emphasizes abundance and enjoyment of the meal, suggesting a more lavish dining experience.

subsisting on

Highlights survival or basic sustenance through eating a particular food.

living off

Indicates reliance on something for sustenance, broadening the meaning beyond just food.

partaking of

Suggests formal participation in a meal or enjoyment of something.

consuming

A more general term for eating or using something.

having a meal of

A more verbose and less idiomatic way of expressing the same idea.

feeding on

Often implies a parasitic or exploitative relationship, adding a negative connotation.

nourishing oneself with

Focuses on the nutritional aspect of eating.

taking sustenance from

A formal and somewhat archaic way of describing eating for survival.

FAQs

How can I use "dining off" in a sentence?

You can use "dining off" to describe enjoying a meal or figuratively to mean benefiting from something, such as "The company is dining off its past successes."

What are some alternatives to "dining off"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "eating from", "feasting on", or "living off".

Is "dining off" formal or informal?

"Dining off" leans towards the formal side. In casual settings, simpler terms like "eating" are often more appropriate.

What does it mean to say someone is "dining off" something?

It can mean they are literally eating a meal, or figuratively, it means they are benefiting or profiting from something, sometimes implying they are taking advantage of it.