dine out on
C1 informal transitive
In simple words
To keep telling the same funny or interesting story at parties and dinners to make people like you.
Literal meaning: To use a single piece of food (story) to sustain many social meals.
Meanings
1 C1
idiomatic
informal
To repeatedly tell an entertaining story or experience at social gatherings to impress or amuse others.
"He's been dining out on that story about meeting the Prime Minister for years."
"He would dine out on the anecdote for years to come."
— The Guardian (common formulation in British journalism)
Usage notes
Exclusively British English idiom. Implies that the story or experience is the person's main social 'currency' and that they use it repeatedly, sometimes to the point of excess. Often used with a mildly critical tone.
Commonly used with
story anecdote experience encounter for years tale
Forms
Base
dine out on
I/you/we/they
3rd person
dines out on
he/she/it
Past simple
dined out on
yesterday
Past participle
dined out on
have + pp
-ing form
dining out on
continuous
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