dock

¹

[dok]

noun

1. a landing pier.

2. the space or waterway between two piers or wharves, as for receiving a ship while in port.

3. such a waterway, enclosed or open, together with the surrounding piers, wharves, etc.

4. dry dock.

5. a platform for loading and unloading trucks, railway freight cars, etc.

6. an airplane hangar or repair shed.

7. Also called scene dock. a place in a theater near the stage or beneath the floor of the stage for the storage of scenery.

verb (used with object)

1. to bring (a ship or boat) into a dock; lay up in a dock.

2. to place in dry dock, as for repairs, cleaning, or painting.

3. to join (a space vehicle) with another or with a space station in outer space.

verb (used without object)

1. to come or go into a dock or dry dock.

2. (of two space vehicles) to join together in outer space.

dock

²

[dok]

noun

1. the solid or fleshy part of an animal's tail, as distinguished from the hair.

2. the part of a tail left after cutting or clipping.

verb (used with object)

1. to cut off the end of; cut short.

   to dock a tail.

2. to cut short the tail of.

   to dock a horse.

3. to deduct from the wages of, usually as a punishment.

   The boss docked him a day's pay.

4. to deduct from (wages).

   The boss docked his paycheck $20.

dock

³

[dok]

noun

1. the place in a courtroom where a prisoner is placed during trial.

dock

⁴

[dok]

noun

1. any of various weedy plants belonging to the genus Rumex, of the buckwheat family, as R. obtusifolius bitter dock or R. acetosa sour dock, having long taproots.

2. any of various other plants, mostly coarse weeds.

dock

¹

/ dɒk /

noun

1. a wharf or pier

2. a space between two wharves or piers for the mooring of ships

3. an area of water that can accommodate a ship and can be closed off to allow regulation of the water level

4. short for dry dock

5. short for scene dock

6. a platform from which lorries, goods trains, etc, are loaded and unloaded

verb

1. to moor (a vessel) at a dock or (of a vessel) to be moored at a dock

2. to put (a vessel) into a dry dock for repairs or (of a vessel) to come into a dry dock

3. (of two spacecraft) to link together in space or link together (two spacecraft) in space

dock

²

/ dɒk /

noun

1. the bony part of the tail of an animal, esp a dog or sheep

2. the part of an animal's tail left after the major part of it has been cut off

verb

1. to remove (the tail or part of the tail) of (an animal) by cutting through the bone

   to dock a tail

   to dock a horse

2. to deduct (an amount) from (a person's wages, pension, etc)

   they docked a third of his wages

dock

³

/ dɒk /

noun

1. any of various temperate weedy plants of the polygonaceous genus Rumex, having greenish or reddish flowers and typically broad leaves

2. any of several similar or related plants

dock

⁴

/ dɒk /

noun

1. an enclosed space in a court of law where the accused sits or stands during his trial

Word History and Origins

Origin of dock¹

First recorded in 1505–15; from Middle Dutch doc(ke)

Origin of dock²

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English dok, Old English -docca, in fingirdoccana (genitive plural) “finger muscles”; cognate with Frisian dok, Low German docke “bundle,” Icelandic dokkur “stumpy tail,” Middle High German tocke “bundle, sheaf”

Origin of dock³

First recorded in 1580–90; perhaps from Dutch dok (dialectal sense) “cage, poultry pen, rabbit hutch”

Origin of dock⁴

First recorded before 1000; Middle English dokke, Old English docce; cognate with Middle Dutch docke, Middle High German tocke

Word History and Origins

Origin of dock¹

C14: from Middle Dutch docke; perhaps related to Latin ducere to lead

Origin of dock²

C14: dok , of uncertain origin

Origin of dock³

Old English docce; related to Middle Dutch, Old Danish docke, Gaelic dogha

Origin of dock⁴

C16: from Flemish dok sty

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. in the dock, being tried in a court, especially a criminal court; on trial.

see in the dock.

Example Sentences

Unsure if they will now be allowed to dock anywhere, the Avontuur sails on towards the Caribbean.

From BBC

When in court, both displayed disruptive and unpredictable behaviour, disrespected the judge, were rude to dock officers and would often talk during proceedings.

From BBC

And awards night host Nate Bargatze implored winners to keep their long-winded speeches snappy with a running gag that saw his charity donation docked if speech-givers went over their allotted time.

From BBC

The couple, holding hands, walk down a wooden dock by the water's edge, after spending an evening in a bar on the island of St John in the US Virgin Islands.

From BBC

Far from trying to forget his days on the docks, Walsh is grateful for them.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• anchor 
• berth 
• hook up 
• moor 
• rendezvous 
• tie up