table

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
table/ˈteɪbl/

▶noun

• 1 a piece of furniture with a flat top and one or more legs, providing a level surface for eating, writing, or working at.

  ■ food provided in a restaurant or household.

• 2 a set of facts or figures systematically displayed, especially in columns.

  ■ a league table.

  ■ (tables) multiplication tables.

• 3 Architecture a flat, typically rectangular, vertical surface.

  ■ a horizontal moulding, especially a cornice.

  ■ a slab bearing an inscription.

• 4 a flat surface of a gem.

  ■ a cut gem with two flat faces.

• 5 each half or quarter of a folding board for backgammon.

• 6 Bridge the dummy hand.

▶verb

• 1 Brit. present formally for discussion or consideration at a meeting.

• 2 chiefly US postpone consideration of.

• 3 Sailing strengthen (a sail) by making a hem at the edge.

– phrases
bring something to the table contribute something of value to a discussion, project, etc.
lay something on the table

• 1 make something known so that it can be discussed.

• 2 chiefly US postpone something indefinitely.

on the table offered for discussion.
turn the tables turn a position of disadvantage relative to someone else into one of advantage.
under the table

• 1 informal very drunk.

• 2 another term for under the counter (see counter1).

– derivatives
tableful noun (pl. tablefuls).

– origin OE tabule ‘flat slab, inscribed tablet’, from L. tabula ‘plank, tablet, list’, reinforced in ME by OFr. table.