in the dock

Idioms  

1. On trial, especially in a criminal case. For example, The accused stood in the dock through the entire proceeding. This expression employs dock in the sense of “an enclosed place for the defendant in a court of law,” a usage dating from the late 1500s, and is used even in American courts where no such enclosure exists.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

in the dock

On Friday, they sat silently in the dock as the judges returned their verdict.

From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026

The women, more liberal-minded, think it’s ridiculous to put a novel in the dock.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026

The skipper in the dock was his son, Tom Jr.

From BBC ● Jun. 8, 2026

Barrow had previously pleaded guilty to three offences of marking and supplying articles for use in a fraud when he appeared in the dock for sentencing.

From BBC ● Jun. 2, 2026

One morning, when we were sitting in the dock, a note was passed down to me from the other end.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela