First Known Use: before 12th century
Dictionary
1bench
noun \ˈbench\
: a long and usually hard seat for two or more people
the bench law : the place where a judge sits in a court of law
: the position or rank of a judge
Full Definition of BENCH
1
a : a long seat for two or more persons b : a thwart in a boat c (1) : a seat on which the members of an athletic team await a turn or opportunity to play (2) : the reserve players on a team; broadly : a reserve force
2
a : the seat where a judge sits in court b : the place where justice is administered : court c : the office or dignity of a judge <sat on the bench for 20 years> d : the persons who sit as judges
3
a : the office or dignity of an official b : a seat for an official c : the officials occupying a bench
4
a : a long worktable; also : laboratory <bench chemist> <bench test> b : a table forming part of a machine
5
6
: a compartmented platform on which dogs or cats are kept at a show when not being judged
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Origin of BENCH
Middle English, from Old English benc; akin to Old High German bank bench
Related to BENCH
- Synonyms
- adjudicator, beak [chiefly British], judge, court, jurist, justice, magistrate
2bench
verb
sports : to not allow (a player) to play in a game : to put (a player) on the bench
Full Definition of BENCH
transitive verb
1
: to furnish with benches
2
a : to seat on a bench b (1) : to remove from or keep out of a game; broadly : to remove from use or from a position (2) : to remove from the starting lineup
3
: to exhibit (dogs or cats) to the public on a bench
4
: to lift (a weight) in a bench press <bench 200 pounds>
intransitive verb
: to form a bench by natural processes
See bench defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of BENCH
14th century
Bench
biographical name \ˈbench\
Definition of BENCH
Johnny (Lee) 1947– Am. baseball player
BENCHES Defined for Kids
bench
noun \ˈbench\
Definition of BENCH for Kids
1
: a long seat for two or more persons <a park bench>
2
: a long table for holding work and tools <a carpenter's bench>
3
: the position or rank of a judge
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