potluck dinner

English translation: It's a dinner where people bring along food

18:38 Dec 6, 2008
English language (monolingual) [Non-PRO]
Food & Drink / Dinners
English term or phrase: potluck dinner
Hi,

At the church tomorrow they are having a "potluck dinner" after the service. I'd better make sure I know what it is! (I'm not from the USA.)

Best wishes,

Simon
SeiTT
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:50
Selected answer:It's a dinner where people bring along food
Explanation:
You never know what people will bring along, so you don't know what you're getting. You take "pot luck". Maybe you should ask if you should bring something. There's almost bound to be too much, but they might appreciate something - apples, icecream, who knows what!
Selected response from:

David Knowles
Local time: 16:50
Grading comment
many thanks excellent
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
5 +7each one brings a plate (of food)
airmailrpl
4 +2It's a dinner where people bring along food
David Knowles


  

Answers


6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
It's a dinner where people bring along food


Explanation:
You never know what people will bring along, so you don't know what you're getting. You take "pot luck". Maybe you should ask if you should bring something. There's almost bound to be too much, but they might appreciate something - apples, icecream, who knows what!

David Knowles
Local time: 16:50
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Grading comment
many thanks excellent

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Mark Nathan
4 hrs

agree  humbird
1 day 2 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +7
each one brings a plate (of food)


Explanation:
potluck dinner => each one brings a plate (of food) - everyone shares

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Note added at 8 mins (2008-12-06 18:46:17 GMT)
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Results 1 - 30 of about 3,920,000 for "potluck"

Potluck - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
6 Nov 2008 ... A potluck is a gathering of people where each person is expected to bring a dish of food to be shared among the group. ...
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potluck -

airmailrpl
Brazil
Local time: 12:50
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in PortuguesePortuguese
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  JaneTranslates: Exactly. Each person brings something to share. You get to try all kinds of interesting dishes, and you usually gain weight, so watch out!
18 mins
  -> thank you

agree  Mina Yekta (X)
26 mins
  -> thank you

agree  Edith Kelly
1 hr
  -> thank you

agree  Jonathan MacKerron: as a kid, spent many a Saturday evening in our church's basement getting down on potluck goodies, though mostly spam-based...
1 hr
  -> thank you

agree  Mark Nathan: although more likely a bowl or dish of food
4 hrs
  -> thank you

agree  KathyT
7 hrs
  -> thank you

agree  humbird: In America we do this as often as occassions call for. Derivation of this word varies but some think it has Native American origin.
1 day 2 hrs
  -> thank you
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