dock

1 of 6

noun (1)

plural docks
1
a
: a place (such as a wharf or platform) for the loading or unloading of materials
b
: a usually wooden pier used as a landing place or moorage for boats
2
or docking station : a device in which a smartphone, digital camera, etc., is placed for charging, accessing a power supply, or connecting to another electronic device
3
: a usually artificial basin or enclosure for the reception of ships that is equipped with means for controlling the water height
4
5
: the combining site of a molecular receptor see receptor sense b
Previous research showed that marijuana receptors, specialized proteins that serve as docks for THC, are clustered in regions of the brain known to play a role in movement disorders such as Huntington's disease.Kathleen Fackelmann

dock

2 of 6

verb (1)

docked; docking; docks

transitive verb

1
: to haul or guide into or alongside a dock
2
: to connect an electronic device (such as a computer or a digital camera) to another device
dock the phone into the computer
3
: to join (two spacecraft) mechanically while in space

intransitive verb

1
: to come into or alongside a dock
2
: to become docked
3
: to combine with a molecular receptor see receptor sense b
These chemical messengers travel across a tiny cleft and dock at receptors along the surface of a muscle fiber.Bruce A. Dobkin

dock

3 of 6

verb (2)

docked; docking; docks

transitive verb

1
a
: to subject to a deduction
dock someone's wages
b
: to penalize by depriving of a benefit ordinarily due
especially : to fine by a deduction of wages
docked him for tardiness
c
: to take away a part of : abridge
2
a
: to cut (part of an animal, such as the ears or a tail) short
b
: to cut off the end of a body part of
specifically : to remove part of the tail of

dock

4 of 6

noun (2)

1
: the part of an animal's tail left after it has been shortened
2
: the solid part of an animal's tail as distinguished from the hair

dock

5 of 6

noun (3)

: the place in a criminal court where a prisoner stands or sits during trial

dock

6 of 6

noun (4)

1
: any of a genus (Rumex) of coarse weedy plants of the buckwheat family having long taproots and sometimes used as potherbs
2
: any of several usually broad-leaved weedy plants (as of the genus Silphium)
Phrases
in the dock
: on trial

Examples of dock in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Why was Oshkosh's Monkey Island created? Monkey Island was constructed by the Oshkosh Yacht Club in 1913 as a breakwater for boats docked in Miller's Bay, according to Oshkosh Daily Northwestern records. Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2024 In May 2020, a Japanese cargo ship docked at the ISS, delivering the SUV-sized equipment pallet to assist astronauts in replacing the old nickel-hydrogen batteries with new, more efficient lithium-ion batteries. George Dvorsky / Gizmodo, Quartz, 8 Mar. 2024 The ship departed from Port Miami and docked at ports including Puerto Costa Maya in Mexico, Basseterre in St. Kitts & Nevis and Charlotte Amalie in St. Thomas. Kirsty Hatcher, Peoplemag, 7 Mar. 2024 Ralph Hendry, 66, and his wife, Kathy Brandel, 71, were kidnapped on Feb. 18 when the escapees hijacked their yacht docked near the shores of tourist hotspot Grand Anse Beach in Grenada, according to Junior Simmons, superintendent of police in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Chris Eberhart, Fox News, 27 Feb. 2024 Here’s our report from our first visit: THE SETTING: These visionaries wisely opted for a streamlined exterior so as not to detract from the views beyond of San Francisco Bay and the boats docked at the marina. Linda Zavoral, The Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2024 The carrier, Al Kuwait, had docked in Cape Town’s busy harbor on Sunday to replenish the feeding stocks during its journey to Iraq from the Port of Rio Grande in Brazil, according to shipping data. Lynsey Chutel, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2024 Officials in the island nation of Mauritius blocked a Norwegian Cruise Line ship from docking there Sunday after more than a dozen passengers were stricken with a stomach illness. David K. Li, NBC News, 26 Feb. 2024 More measures targeting cruise ships include the closure of a former city center cruise pier, forcing large vessels to dock farther away. David Nikel, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024
Noun
Leland believes a weakness in that particular dock was exposed during last month’s storms, and the flood of water from the L.A. River flowing into the marina only made things worse. Jireh Deng, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 The yard is currently doing repairs and upgrades on the littoral combat ships USS Charleston and USS Oakland and on the amphibious transport dock USS John P. Murtha and some work on the amphibious assault ship USS Essex at Naval Station San Diego. Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Feb. 2024 Anyone can boat, sail, kayak, jet ski, electric boat, stand-up paddle to our dock must contact the Westpoint Marina for slip space) and arrive to Hurrica by water. Chelsea Davis, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 After arriving at a dock, my bag was spirited away by a bellhop as another guided me through a tiny calle to the enormous arched doorway of the new Nolinski Venezia, the first foray of the French EVOK hotel group outside of its native country. Zoe Dubno, Vogue, 24 Feb. 2024 The beach is directly across the street, dogs are welcome, there’s a private pool and a fishing dock that juts over Sarasota Bay. Angela Caraway-Carlton, Miami Herald, 22 Feb. 2024 Locate the Trashcan Icon in your dock bar on your desktop. Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 15 Feb. 2024 Jurors were shown footage of Concepcion walking in a loading dock area of the building when a dark red sedan pulled up. Chris Ramirez, Journal Sentinel, 29 Feb. 2024 The Los Angeles docks had the second-busiest January on record, handling 855,652 cargo containers, said Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles. Ronald D. White, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dock.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English dokke, probably from Middle Dutch docke

Noun (2)

Middle English dok, perhaps from Old English -docca (as in fingirdocca finger muscle); akin to Old High German tocka doll, Old Norse dokka bundle

Noun (3)

Dutch dialect (Flanders) docke cage

Noun (4)

Middle English, from Old English docce; akin to Middle Dutch docke dock

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Verb (1)

1600, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Verb (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2b

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun (3)

1586, in the meaning defined above

Noun (4)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dock was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near dock

Cite this Entry

“Dock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dock. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

dock

1 of 5 noun
: any of a genus of coarse weedy plants which are related to the buckwheat and some of which are cooked for food

dock

2 of 5 verb
1
: to cut off the end of : cut short
a docked tail
2
: to take away a part of : make a deduction from
3
: to deprive of something due because of a fault
was docked for being late

dock

3 of 5 noun
1
: a usually artificial basin to receive ships that has gates to control the water height
2
3
: a wharf or platform for loading and unloading
4
: a usually wooden pier used as a landing place or moorage

dock

4 of 5 verb
1
: to bring or come into or alongside a dock
2
: to join (as two spacecraft) mechanically while in space

dock

5 of 5 noun
: the place in a court where a prisoner stands or sits during trial
Etymology

Noun

Old English docce "the dock plant"

Verb

Middle English docken "to cut off the end of a tail," from dok, docke "end of an animal's tail"

Noun

probably from early Dutch docke "ditch, dock"

Noun

from a Dutch dialect word docke "cage"

Medical Definition

dock

1 of 2 noun
: any plant of the genus Rumex

dock

2 of 2 intransitive verb
: to combine with a molecular receptor
the AIDS virus docked at the T cell receptor

Legal Definition

dock

noun
: the place in a criminal court where a prisoner stands or sits during trial compare bar, bench, jury box, sidebar, stand
Etymology

Noun

Dutch dialect docke, dok pen, cage

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