graving dock

noun

Nautical.

1. an excavated shore dry dock for the repair and maintenance of ships.

graving dock

noun

1. another term for dry dock

Word History and Origins

Origin of graving dock¹

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

It begins at night, with the boat being towed in under spotlights to a “graving dock,” from which water is then pumped out.

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Through that window he could watch his Western Star graving in the graving dock.

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New ships - including the Malaspina and other mainline Alaska ferries - were first built in a graving dock, a pit dug in the earth with doors at one end that opened to the ocean.

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The graving docks occupy the dug-out site of the former New Mole Parade.

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The largest ships can enter the harbour, which has a minimum depth of 30 ft.; it has two dry docks, a graving dock and a floating dry dock.

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