Lŭnch'eon, n.

(lŭnch'ŭn), n. [Prov. Eng. luncheon, lunchion, lunshin, a large lump of food, from lunch; also nuncion, nuncheon, nunchion, noon-shun, nunch, the afternoon's repast, also breakfast, a corruption of luncheon, lunch, or, less probably, from noon, and signifying originally the laborer's slight meal to which he withdrew for the shunning of the heat of noon, like Prov. Eng. noon-scape, noon-miss, the time when laborers rest after dinner.] A portion of food taken at any time except at a regular meal.

I sliced the luncheon from the barley loaf. Gay.