mourners' bench

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noun

(at religious revival meetings) a bench or seat at the front of the church or room, set apart for mourners or penitent sinners seeking salvation.

QUIZ

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Question 1 of 9

Which of the following nouns has an irregular plural form?

Origin of mourners' bench

An Americanism dating back to 1835–45

As he tried to make his way through a crowd of mourners late last month, he looked preoccupied and even disoriented.
What an Iranian Funeral Tells Us About the Wars in Iraq|IranWire|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
At night jineteras stalk the promenade in search of tourists while a trumpet from a bench serenades the proceedings.
The Life and Hard Times Of The Family A Cuban Defector Left Behind|Brin-Jonathan Butler|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Then you have to get judges onto the bench who agree with you.
A Reminder: Our Justices are Politicians in Robes|Jedediah Purdy|November 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A workout bench: they would lift weights in between sessions.
Russia’s Gold Digger Academy|Peter Pomerantsev|November 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The federal bench will be harmed by dozens of vacancies going unfilled, causing a case backlog.
If You Think D.C. Is Awful Now, Wait Until Wednesday|Jonathan Alter|November 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Before the spinet a bench was placed about four feet below the keys, and I was put upon the bench.
Gulliver's Travels|Jonathan Swift
The tattered outcast dozes on his bench while the chariot of the wealthy is drawn by.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice|Stephen Leacock
Outside the hotel he came upon the two sisters sitting on a bench and drinking coffee.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke
He stood before the glass hung above the wash bench and 369 smoothed his hair.
The Bondboy|George W. (George Washington) Ogden
At the hotel he found the bench outside occupied chiefly by Jean.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke