Emily Dickinson Lexicon

DINE, v.i. [Sax. dynan, to dine. The Fr. diner, is supposed to be contracted from It. desinare, to dine, L. desino, to cease; in which case, dinner must have been so named from the intermission of business. The Saxon and the French, in this case, are probably from different sources. The Gr. has δαινυμαι, and θοιναω, to feast.]

To eat the chief meal of the day. This meal seems originally to have been taken about the middle of the day, at least in northern climates, as it still is by laboring people. Among people in the higher walks of life, and in commercial towns, the time of dining is from two to five or six o'clock in the afternoon.