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bench

(bĕnch)

1. A long seat, often without a back, for two or more persons.

2. Nautical A thwart in a boat.

3. Law

a. The seat for judges in a courtroom.

b. The office or position of a judge.

c. often Bench The judge or judges composing a court.

a. A seat occupied by a person in an official capacity.

b. The office of such a person.

5. A strong worktable, such as one used in carpentry or in a laboratory.

6. A platform on which animals, especially dogs, are exhibited.

7. Sports

a. The area, often equipped with benches, where the coaches and the players who are not actively participating in the game remain.

b. The reserve players on a team.

a. A level, narrow stretch of land interrupting a declivity.

b. A level elevation of land along a shore or coast, especially one marking a former shoreline.

tr.v. benched, bench·ing, bench·es

1. To furnish with benches.

2. To seat on a bench.

3. To show (dogs) in a bench show.

4. Sports To keep out of or remove from a game: benched the goalie for fighting.

5. Sports To bench-press.

[Middle English, from Old English benc.]

Bench

(bĕnch), Johnny Lee Born 1947.

American baseball player considered among the greatest catchers in history. In 16 seasons with the Cincinnati Reds (1967-1983), he was the National League's most valuable player twice (1970 and 1972).

(click for a larger image)

Johnny Bench

photographed in 1989 at his induction to the Baseball Hall of Fame

Cooperstown, New York

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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