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• dry dock
  dry dock

  noun

  a structure able to contain a ship and to be drained or lifted so as to leave the ship free of water with all parts of the hull accessible for repairs, painting, etc.
• dry-dock
  dry-dock

  verb (used with object)

  to place (a ship) in a dry dock.

dry dock

¹ American  

noun

1. a structure able to contain a ship and to be drained or lifted so as to leave the ship free of water with all parts of the hull accessible for repairs, painting, etc.

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dry-dock ² American  

[drahy-dok] / ˈdraɪˌdɒk /

verb (used with object)

1. to place (a ship) in a dry dock.

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verb (used without object)

1. (of a ship) to go into a dry dock.

dry dock British  

noun

1. a basin-like structure that is large enough to admit a ship and that can be pumped dry for work on the ship's bottom

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verb

1. to put (a ship) into a dry dock, or (of a ship) to go into a dry dock

Etymology

Origin of dry dock¹

First recorded in 1620–30

Origin of dry-dock²

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

dry dock dry-dock

The marine logistics group may take about three years instead of four years to deliver a S$198 million vessel, and its new dry dock operation could ramp up faster than anticipated.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 16, 2026

Growth should be driven by its new dry dock and four new vessels, including its commissioning service operation vessel in FY 2026, the analyst says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2025

After more than four decades of delay, the first such submarine, Swiftsure, has had its reactor removed and is currently being taken apart in a dry dock.

From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2025

Uranga said the next step is to lift the boat, which sank after the fire, and tow it to dry dock where a more thorough investigation can be undertaken.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2024

“And the answer is no, she’s not. Nor has been for weeks, stuck in dry dock in Portland after a run-in with a shoal. But home soon, I expect.”

From "Beyond the Bright Sea" by Lauren Wolk

The same yard won the contract to carry out the first dry-dock maintenance of HMS Queen Elizabeth in 2019.

From BBC ● May 16, 2022

The Chimacum will operate only the #2 sailings on the route’s schedule while the other boat normally assigned the route, the Kaleetan, undergoes necessary dry-dock work, the ferry service said.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 8, 2021

So we dry-dock them and put them in bins and kiddie pools.

From Slate ● Feb. 19, 2021

No dry-dock scenes of giant starships set to stirring theme music.

From New York Times ● Jan. 23, 2020

When I got there she was in dry-dock.

From An Ocean Tramp by William McFee