dugout
Americannoun
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a boat made by hollowing out a log.
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Baseball. a roofed structure enclosed on three sides and with the fourth side open and facing the playing field, usually with the floor below ground level, where the players sit when not on the field.
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a rough shelter or dwelling formed by an excavation in the ground, in the face of a bank, in the side of a hill, etc., especially one used by soldiers.
noun
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a canoe made by hollowing out a log
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military a covered excavation dug to provide shelter
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slang a retired officer, former civil servant, etc, recalled to employment
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(at a sports ground) the covered bench where managers, trainers, etc sit and players wait when not on the field
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(in the Canadian prairies) a reservoir dug on a farm in which water from rain and snow is collected for use in irrigation, watering livestock, etc
Etymology
Origin of dugout
1715–25, noun use of verb phrase dug out
Explanation
In baseball, a dugout is the area reserved for one team to sit while players wait for their turn at bat. Each team has its own dugout. A dugout is typically a low structure with a roof that's open at the front so the players can see the baseball field. One team's dugout is in the foul zone between third base and home plate, and the other's is between first base and home plate. Baseball dugouts are named for the original dugouts, temporary military trenches where troops shelter during battle. A boat made from a hollowed out log is another kind of dugout.
Vocabulary lists containing dugout
Baseball: A Lexicon
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Words for the World Series
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Fast Pitch
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Charley Steiner, who seems to be slowly working his way back as a Dodgers announcer, gets tremendous support from Dodgers Dugout readers.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 19, 2026
Dugout or stand: Where is the best place to watch football from?
From BBC • Sep. 23, 2025
Access to the WPF Dugout Pass can be purchased.
From Washington Times • Jun. 13, 2023
The event enabled the team to interact with fans at Dugout 54, a sports bar near American Family Field.
From Seattle Times • Jan. 18, 2023
I had never seen Dorothy at the Dugout before.
From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
