bench /bench or bensh/ noun- A long (usu wooden) seat with or without a back
- A seat in a boat
- A worktable or working place
- A judge's seat
- The body or assembly of judges
- A tribunal
- A seat for officials and reserve players at a match (football, baseball, etc)
- A level ledge in the slope of masonry or earthwork
- A level tract between a river and nearby hills (US)
- A terrace (geology)
- In a greenhouse or conservatory, a raised bed or a platform with sides, for holding potted plants
- A platform on which dogs are displayed at a dog show
transitive verb- To place on or provide with benches
- To take (a player) out of a game
- To put (plants) on greenhouse benches
- To show (dogs)
- To bench-press (a specified weight)
combining form Used to denote the particular area in Parliament where MPs sit, and their respective prominence (as in front bench, back bench) ORIGIN: OE benc; cognate with Ger Bank and Du bank benchˈer noun - A senior member of an inn of court
- A person who sits on a bench in some official capacity
benchˈership noun bench fees plural noun Laboratory fees paid by scientific, medical and technical students benchˈ-hole noun (Shakespeare) A latrine benchˈmark noun - A surveyor's mark cut on a rock, etc indicating a point of reference in levelling
- Something taken or used as a point of reference or comparison, a standard, criterion, etc (also adjective)
- A standard program, used to compare the performance of different makes of computer hardware or software (computing)
transitive verb To test by means of a benchmark bench press noun A weightlifting exercise in which one lies on a bench with feet on the floor and raises a weight from chest level to arm's length benchˈ-press transitive verb To lift (a specified weight) in this manner bench test noun A test carried out on something before it is installed or released benchˈ-test transitive verb benchˈ-warmer noun (sport sl) A reserve player benchˈ-warrant noun One issued by a judge rather than a justice or magistrate on the bench - Holding the office of a judge or bishop
- Officiating as judge
- Acting as a reserve player
raise to the bench To make a judge or bishop |