dock

1 of 2

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

2 of 2

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

Synonyms of dock

Verb (1)

• land
• anchor
• arrive

Verb (2)

• shorten
• cut back

Examples of dock in a Sentence

Verb (1)

the cruise ship docked at the first port of call early the next morning

Verb (2)

the editorial was docked by about a hundred words to make it fit on the page

the boxer's tail was docked soon after birth

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Maryland fire officials are investigating a boat fire that damaged a 34-foot yacht docked at the Wicomico Yacht Club. —The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Sun, 8 June 2026

However, issues with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, which was docked with the space station at the time, necessitated that Crew-9 launch with only two of its four original astronauts, and Wilson was moved off the mission. —Josh Dinner, Space.com, 8 June 2026

While the ship was docked in Baltimore, CBP agents boarded it. —Sergio Martínez-Beltrán, NPR, 6 June 2026

Kud-Sverchkov and Mikayev will perform the repairs while the five others on board the station remain sheltered within the Dragon spacecraft docked to the American half of the station. —Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Verb (1)

1600, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Verb (2)

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

Phrases Containing dock

• dry-dock
• floating dock
• graving dock
• in the dock
• loading dock

Rhymes for dock

• balk
• baulk
• bloc
• bock
• broch
• brock
• calk
• caulk
• chalk
• chock
• clock
• cock

Kids Definition

dock

1 of 5 noun

ˈdäk 

: 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

: slip entry 2 sense 1b

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

ˈdäk 

: 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