bench
pronunciation
How to pronounce bench in British English:
UK [bentʃ]
How to pronounce bench in American English:
US [bentʃ]
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- Noun:
- a long seat for more than one person
- the reserve players on a team
- a level shelf of land interrupting a declivity (with steep slopes above and below)
- persons who administer justice
- a strong worktable for a carpenter or mechanic
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- Verb:
- take out of a game; of players
- exhibit on a bench
Word Origin
- bench
- bench: [OE] Old English benc goes back to Germanic *bangk-, also the source of English bank (the related German bank means ‘bench’). The Northern and Scottish English versions of the word were benk and bink. The specific application to the seat on which a judge sits arose in the 13th century.=> bank
- bench (n.)
- Old English benc "long seat," from Proto-Germanic *bankiz "bank of earth," perhaps here "man-made earthwork," later "bench, table" (cognates: Old Frisian bank "bench," Old Norse bekkr, Danish bænk, Middle Dutch banc, Old High German banch), from PIE root *bheg- "to break." Used for "office of a judge" since late 13c. Sporting sense "reserve of players" (in baseball, North American football, etc.) is by 1909, from literal sense of place where players sit when not in action (by 1889).
- bench (v.)
- "to take out of the game," 1902, from bench (n.) in the sporting sense. Related: Benched; benching. Old English also had a verb form, but it meant "to make benches."
Example
- 1. We sit on a bench in the sun .
- 2. Modern chair designed to be easily transformable into a bench .
- 3. We are there on the bench , quiet for a moment .
- 4. It features a pair of mirrored panels and a comfortable bench .
- 5. He was boldly lounging on a bench and not afraid of the camera .