deck

[ dek ]

/ dɛk /

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noun

Nautical.

a floorlike surface wholly or partially occupying one level of a hull, superstructure, or deckhouse, generally cambered, and often serving as a member for strengthening the structure of a vessel.
the space between such a surface and the next such surface above: Our stateroom was on B deck.

any open platform suggesting an exposed deck of a ship.

an open, unroofed porch or platform extending from a house or other building.Compare sun deck.

any level, tier, or vertical section, as of a structure or machine.

flight deck(def 2).

a flat or nearly flat watertight surface, as at the top of a French roof.

a floor or roof surface composed of decking units.

Meteorology. cloud deck. See cloud layer.

Slang. a small packet of a narcotic, especially heroin.

a pack of playing cards.

Printing. bank³(def 8).

Also called rear deck. the cover of a space behind the backseat of an automobile or the space itself.

Library Science. a level of book shelving and associated facilities in the stacks of a library, as one of a series of floors or tiers.

cutter deck.

a cassette deck or tape deck.

adjective

Civil Engineering. (of a bridge truss) having a deck or floor upon or above the structure.Compare through(def 22).

verb (used with object)

to clothe or attire (people) or array (rooms, houses, etc.) in something ornamental or decorative (often followed by out): We were all decked out in our Sunday best. The church was decked with holly for the holiday season.

to furnish with a deck.

Informal. to knock down; floor: The champion decked the challenger in the first round.

Nearby words

decision theory, decision tree, decision-making, decisive, decius, deck, deck beam, deck bolt, deck bridge, deck chair, deck crane

Idioms

clear the decks,

to prepare for combat, as by removing all unnecessary gear.
to prepare for some activity or work, as by getting rid of hindrances.

hit the deck, Slang.

Nautical. to rise from bed.
to fall, drop, or be knocked to the ground or floor.

on deck,

Baseball. next at bat; waiting one's turn to bat.
Informal. next in line; coming up; scheduled.
Informal. prepared to act or work; ready.

play with/have a full deck, Slang. to be sane, rational, or reasonably intelligent: Whoever dreamed up this scheme wasn't playing with a full deck.

stack the deck. stack(def 24).

Origin of deck

1425–75; (noun) late Middle English dekke material for covering < Middle Dutch dec covering, roof; (v.) < Dutch dekken to cover; cognate with German decken; cf. thatch

SYNONYMS FOR deck

17 bedeck, garnish, trim, bedizen, adorn, embellish; dress.

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Related forms

un·decked, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for hit the deck

deck

/ (dɛk) /

noun

nautical any of various platforms built into a vessela promenade deck; the poop deck

a similar floor or platform, as in a bus

the horizontal platform that supports the turntable and pick-up of a record player
See tape deck

mainly US a pack of playing cards

Also called: pack computing obsolete a collection of punched cards relevant to a particular program

a raised wooden platform built in a garden to provide a seating area

clear the decks informal to prepare for action, as by removing obstacles from a field of activity or combat

hit the deck informal

to fall to the floor or ground, esp in order to avoid injury
to prepare for action
to get out of bed

verb (tr)

(often foll by out) to dress or decorate

to build a deck on (a vessel)

slang to knock (a person) to the floor or ground

Derived Forms

decker, noun

Word Origin for deck

C15: from Middle Dutch dec a covering; related to thatch

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with hit the deck (1 of 2)

hit the deck

Also, hit the dirt. Fall to the ground, usually for protection. For example, As the planes approached, we hit the deck, or We heard shooting and hit the dirt. In the early 1900s the first expression was nautical slang for “jump out of bed,” or “wake up,” and somewhat later, “get going.” The current meaning dates from the 1920s.

Idioms and Phrases with hit the deck (2 of 2)

deck

In addition to the idiom beginning with deck

deck out

also see:

clear the decks
hit the deck
on deck