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bench

noun
/ˈbɛnt͡ʃ/

Etymology

From Middle English bench, benk, bynk, from Old English benċ (“bench”), from Proto-West Germanic *banki, from Proto-Germanic *bankiz (“bench”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeg-. Cognate with Scots benk, bink (“bench”), West Frisian bank (“bench”), Dutch bank (“bench”), German Bank (“bench”), Danish bænk (“bench”), Swedish bänk (“bench”), Icelandic bekkur (“bench”). Doublet of banc, banco, and bank.

  1. derived from *bʰeg-✻
  2. inherited from *bankiz✻ — “bench”
  3. inherited from *banki✻
  4. inherited from benċ — “bench”
  5. inherited from bench

Definitions

  1. A long seat with or without a back, found for example in parks and schools.

    • They sat on a park bench and tossed bread crumbs to the ducks and pigeons.
    • Scarborough station's famous 139-metre-long bench, believed to be the longest in the world, has been restored in a £14,500 project.

  2. The seat where the judges sit in court.

    • They are awaiting a decision on the motion from the bench.

  3. A seat where people sit together in an official capacity.

    • the government front bench
    • On the opposition benches at Holyrood, Scottish Labour's transport spokesman Neil Bibby favours a more formal approach of involving passenger and worker representatives in the management of ScotRail.
  4. ›+ 20 more definitions

    1. The place where players (substitutes) and coaches sit when not playing.

      • He spent the first three games on the bench, watching.

    2. A place where assembly or hand work is performed

      A place where assembly or hand work is performed; a workbench.

      • She placed the workpiece on the bench, inspected it closely, and opened the cover.

    3. A horizontal padded surface, usually adjustable in height and inclination and often with…

      A horizontal padded surface, usually adjustable in height and inclination and often with attached weight rack, used for proper posture during exercise.

      • 2008, Lou Schuler, "Foreward", in Nate Green, Built for Show, page xii I had no bench or power rack, so by necessity every exercise I did started with the weights on the floor.

    4. A bracket used to mount land surveying equipment onto a stone or a wall.

      • After removing the bench, we can use the mark left on the wall as a reference point.

    5. A flat ledge in the slope of an earthwork, work of masonry, or similar.

      • That number carried his glance to the top of this first bulging bench of cliff-base.

    6. A thin strip of relatively flat land bounded by steeper slopes above and below.

    7. A kitchen surface on which to prepare food, a counter.

    8. A bathroom surface which holds the washbasin, a vanity.

    9. A collection or group of dogs exhibited to the public, traditionally on benches or raised…

      A collection or group of dogs exhibited to the public, traditionally on benches or raised platforms.

    10. To remove a player from play.

      • They benched him for the rest of the game because they thought he was injured.
      • OK, you are out! You’re benched!

    11. To remove someone from a position of responsibility temporarily.

    12. To push a person backward against a conspirator behind them who is on their hands and…

      To push a person backward against a conspirator behind them who is on their hands and knees, causing them to fall over.

    13. To furnish with benches.

      • 'Twas benched with turf.
      • stately theatres benched crescent-wise

    14. To place on a bench or seat of honour.

      • whom I […] have benched and reared to worship

    15. To lift by bench pressing

      • I heard he can bench 150 pounds.
      • 1988, Frederick C. Hatfield, "Powersource: Ties that bind", Ironman 47 (6): 21. For the first several years of my exclusive career in powerlifting, I couldn't bench too well.

    16. The weight one is able to bench press, especially the maximum weight capable of being…

      The weight one is able to bench press, especially the maximum weight capable of being pressed.

      • He became frustrated when his bench increased by only 10 pounds despite a month of training.

    17. Alternative spelling of bentsh.

    18. A language spoken in Ethiopia

    19. The people who speak the Bench language

    20. A surname.

The neighborhood

Derived

anxious bench, back bench, back-bench, backbench, bantling, benchball, bench bleed, bench bleeder, bench cheek, bench-clearing brawl, bench dog, bench drill, bench easel, bencher, benchfellow, benchful, bench grinder, bench-hole, bench hook, bench jockey, benchland, benchless, benchlet, benchlike, benchman, bench mark, benchmark, benchmate, bench memo, bench plane, bench-press, bench pull, benchrest, bench saw, bench scientist, bench scraper, bench seat, bench show, benchside, benchslap · +27 more

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for bench. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA