in the dock

Idioms

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.

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.

A man wearing a blank expression was the first in the dock.

From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026

At least four freemasons from the 20 or so members of the lodge are in the dock.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

The men appeared in the dock at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday.

From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026

"The only thing that was not working on 10th March 2025 was the man in the dock," she added.

From BBC • Feb. 2, 2026

The Warthog tusks were oudined briefly against a patch of cloud in the dock lights.

From "The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm" by Nancy Farmer

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023