an enclosure in a court of law where the defendant sits during the trial
"The weary defendant shuffled into the dock to await his lawyer's arrival before the judge began questioning him."
any of certain coarse weedy plants with long taproots, sometimes used as table greens or in folk medicine
"The gardener pulled up a patch of watercress from the damp soil to use it as a fresh green for his salad."
a platform where trucks or trains can be loaded or unloaded
"The shipping company schedules all deliveries to arrive at the dock by noon so they can be quickly loaded onto the waiting trucks."
landing in a harbor next to a pier where ships are loaded and unloaded or repaired; may have gates to let water in or out
"the ship arrived at the dock more than a day late"
the solid bony part of the tail of an animal as distinguished from the hair
"The dog shook its furry body, leaving a wet patch on the short-haired dock at the base of its tail."
Any of the genus Rumex of coarse weedy plants with small green flowers related to buckwheat, especially bitter dock (Rumex obtusifolius), and used as potherbs and in folk medicine, especially in curing nettle rash.
"The lawyer approached the dock to question her client about the alleged theft."
The fleshy root of an animal's tail.
A fixed structure attached to shore to which a vessel is secured when in port.
Part of a courtroom where the accused sits.
In plain English: The dock is a special area in a courtroom where someone who's being accused of a crime sits during the trial.
"The defendant nervously adjusted his tie as he approached the dock."
Usage: Dock (noun) refers to the bench in a courtroom where the defendant sits during a trial. It's often used in phrases like "seated at the dock" or "the defendant's dock."
deprive someone of benefits, as a penalty
"The judge docked three points from his team's score due to their unsportsmanlike conduct."
To cut off a section of an animal's tail, to practise a caudectomy.
"Before placing the apple pie in the oven, she carefully docked the top crust with a fork to stop it from puffing up too much."
To land at a harbour.
To pierce with holes, as pricking pastry or dough with a fork to prevent excessive rising in the oven.
In plain English: To dock means to poke small holes into something like bread or pie crust.
"I always dock my pie crust before adding the filling to ensure even baking."
Usage: Use "dock" when referring to piercing something, like pastry crust, with small holes. This prevents bubbles and uneven baking by allowing steam to escape.
A male given name or nickname.
"The other sailors teased him that his new nickname was Dock, just like the famous pirate captain."
The word dock comes from Old English and originally referred to a dark-colored plant. It traveled into modern English with this same meaning of the aquatic weed known as duckweed or water-dock.