on the bench

Idioms  

1. Presiding as judge in a law court, as in Lawyers are very careful when Judge Brown is on the bench . This usage alludes to the seat occupied by a judge. [Late 1200s]

2. Waiting for a chance to participate; also, removed from participation. For example, Mary complained that all her colleagues were going to the sales conference while she was left on the bench . This usage comes from baseball and other sports, where players not deemed ready or competent to play sit on a bench watching the game. [Early 1900s]

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Example Sentences

The conviction disqualifies her from continuing on the bench under Wisconsin law.

From The Wall Street Journal

But boss Rob Edwards was more open when asked if Strand Larsen - who has started the past three games on the bench - would stay.

From BBC

Making the Bruins’ rally all the more improbable was that much of it came with leading scorer Tyler Bilodeau on the bench with four fouls.

From Los Angeles Times

There has been no conversation either with Amorim, who gave Fletcher's son Jack his debut last month and put his other twin Tyler on the bench for United's past three games.

From BBC

Rodriguez, who has been on the bench since 2003, first used AI experimentally to see how it would have adjudicated a seven-week trial he had recently completed.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• idle
• inactive
• jobless
• underemployed