Definition

Noun: 1. A stand with short feet used under a hot dish on a table: A small, often decorative, metal or ceramic stand placed on a table to protect its surface from a hot serving dish or pot. 2. A three-legged metal stand for supporting a cooking vessel in a hearth: A sturdy, usually iron, stand with three legs, used historically to hold a pot or kettle over an open fire.

Examples of Usage

• As a table protector:
  • She placed the hot casserole dish on a trivet to avoid damaging the wooden table.
  • The ceramic trivet was both functional and a beautiful piece of table decor.
• As a hearth stand:
  • The blacksmith forged an iron trivet to hold the kettle over the campfire.
  • In the historical kitchen, a large cooking pot sat on a trivet in the fireplace.

Advanced Usage

• The phrase "right as a trivet" is an old-fashioned idiom meaning perfectly correct, in good order, or in excellent health. It originates from the idea that a three-legged trivet is always stable on an uneven surface.
  • "Don't worry about him; after a good night's sleep, he'll be as right as a trivet."

Variants and Related Words

• Hot pad / Pot holder: These are soft, insulated pads used for similar protective purposes but are not rigid stands like a trivet.
• Tripod: A general term for any stand or support with three legs.

Synonyms

• Stand
• Support
• Rest (for a pot or dish)

Related Idioms

• Right as a trivet: In excellent condition; perfectly correct or sound.
  • The mechanic fixed the engine, and now it runs as right as a trivet.

Noun

1. a stand with short feet used under a hot dish on a table
2. a three-legged metal stand for supporting a cooking vessel in a hearth