From WordNet (r) 2.0 (August 2003) [wn]:
dining
n : the act of eating dinner
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Dining \Din"ing\, n. & a.
from Dine, a.
[1913 Webster]
Note: Used either adjectively or as the first part of a
compound; as, dining hall or dining-hall, dining room,
dining table, etc.
[1913 Webster] dining-hall
dininghall
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Dine \Dine\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Dined; p. pr. & vb. n.
Dining.] [F. d[^i]ner, OF. disner, LL. disnare, contr. fr.
an assumed disjunare; dis- + an assumed junare (OF. juner) to
fast, for L. jejunare, fr. jejunus fasting. See Jejune, and
cf. Dinner, D?jeuner.]
To eat the principal regular meal of the day; to take dinner.
[1913 Webster]
Now can I break my fast, dine, sup, and sleep. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
To dine with Duke Humphrey, to go without dinner; -- a
phrase common in Elizabethan literature, said to be from
the practice of the poor gentry, who beguiled the dinner
hour by a promenade near the tomb of Humphrey, Duke of
Gloucester, in Old Saint Paul's.
[1913 Webster]