bench
/ˈbɛnt͡ʃ/ noun A2- A long seat with or without a back, found for example in parks and schools. · They sat on a park bench and tossed bread crumbs to the ducks and pigeons.
- The people who decide on the verdict, collectively; the judiciary. · They are awaiting a decision on the motion from the bench.
- The office or dignity of a judge. · She sat on the bench for 30 years before she retired.
- A long seat for politicians in a parliamentary chamber. · the government front bench
- The dignity of holding an official seat. · the bench of bishops· the civic bench
- The people who hold a certain type of official seat, collectively; a group of officeholders.
- The place where players (substitutes) and coaches sit when not playing. · He spent the first three games on the bench, watching.
- The number of players on a team able to participate, often expressed in terms of length. · Injuries have shortened the bench.
Plural benches
From the library
Ten minutes afterwards the baron entered his apartment, and Peppino stationed himself on the bench outside the door of the hotel, after having whispered something in the ear of one of the descendants of Marius and the Gracchi whom we noticed at the beginning of the chapter, who immediately ran down the road leading to the Capitol at his fullest speed.
“Madame,” replied Villefort, with a mournful smile, “I have already had the honor to observe that my father has—at least, I hope so—abjured his past errors, and that he is, at the present moment, a firm and zealous friend to religion and order—a better royalist, possibly, than his son; for he has to atone for past dereliction, while I have no other impulse than warm, decided preference and conviction.” Having made this well-turned speech, Villefort looked carefully around to mark the effect of his oratory, much as he would have done had he been addressing the bench in open court.
“You, madame, remained under the arbor; do you not remember, that while you were seated on a stone bench, and while, as I told you, Mademoiselle de Villefort and your young son were absent, you conversed for a considerable time with somebody?”
After remaining for a short time in the parterre surrounding the house, and gathering a rose to place in her waist or hair, she turned into the dark avenue which led to the bench; then from the bench she went to the gate.
Other matches
Learn bench in real texts
With a free account, hover any word in the library for its meaning, hear it read aloud, save words for review timed to your memory, and see how much of each book you already know.