deck

noun

\ ˈdek

plural decks

Definition of deck

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a platform in a ship serving usually as a structural element and forming the floor for its compartments

2 : something resembling the deck of a ship: such as

a : a story or tier of a building (such as a sports stadium) the upper deck

b : the roadway of a bridge

c : a flat floored roofless area adjoining a house

d : the lid of the compartment at the rear of the body of an automobile also : the compartment

e : a layer of clouds

3a : a pack of playing cards

b : a packet of narcotics

4 : tape deck

5 : a collection of visual or photographic slides presented usually one after another as a slideshow Pompliano was on the job for a mere three weeks in 2015, but in that time he prepared a PowerPoint deck laying out what he believed were the key inaccuracies in the company's numbers.— Gene Maddaus Accompanying a talk with images is standard professional practice, but a poorly organized or dense slide deck can spoil a presentation.— Jeff Link

on deck

1 : ready for duty

2 : next in line : next in turn

deck

verb

decked; decking; decks

Definition of deck (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 obsolete : cover

2a : to clothe in a striking or elegant manner : array decked out in furs

b : decorate deck the halls with boughs of holly — English carol

c : to portray or present with embellishments

3 [ ¹deck ] : to furnish with or as if with a deck

4 [ ¹deck ] : to knock down forcibly : floor decked him with one punch

Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about deck

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Choose the Right Synonym for deck

Verb

adorn, decorate, ornament, embellish, beautify, deck, garnish mean to enhance the appearance of something by adding something unessential. adorn implies an enhancing by something beautiful in itself. a diamond necklace adorned her neck decorate suggests relieving plainness or monotony by adding beauty of color or design. decorate a birthday cake ornament and embellish imply the adding of something extraneous, ornament stressing the heightening or setting off of the original a white house ornamented with green shutters , embellish often stressing the adding of superfluous or adventitious ornament. embellish a page with floral borders beautify adds to embellish a suggestion of counterbalancing plainness or ugliness. will beautify the grounds with flower beds deck implies the addition of something that contributes to gaiety, splendor, or showiness. a house all decked out for Christmas garnish suggests decorating with a small final touch and is used especially in referring to the serving of food. an entrée garnished with parsley

Examples of deck in a Sentence

Noun

We stood on the deck and watched dolphins swim near the ship. A number of passengers had come on deck. a seat on the streetcar's top deck a cabin on B deck We sat in the lower deck. We ate out on the deck.

Verb

We spent hours decking the chapel with flowers before the wedding. He decked him with one punch.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The nautically-themed restaurant features California cuisine, craft cocktails, a fireplace and an outdoor patio with a wood-trellised deck and soon-to-open bocce ball court. — Jessica Yadegaran, The Mercury News, "First Look: Inside Berkeley Marina’s new boathouse-themed restaurant," 11 Sep. 2019 Wooden decks and a flagstone patio expand the living space outdoors. — Lauren Beale, Los Angeles Times, "The Hollywood Hills home of Mr. Magoo creator employed a trio of star architects," 9 Sep. 2019 Ring users have further expanded their home monitoring by installing the motion-detecting cameras along driveways, decks and rooftops. — Chris Paul, The Denver Post, "Doorbell-camera firm Ring teams with 400 police forces, extending surveillance reach," 8 Sep. 2019 His backyard includes a wide deck and gardens overflowing with tomatoes, pumpkins, kale and blackberries. — Jesse Leavenworth, courant.com, "East Hartford neighbors, fed up with noise, dirt clouds, call on town officials to take action against backyard dirt track," 5 Sep. 2019 Saturday’s early birds were gifted a breakneck performance from Gerry Gonza, a young producer and vocalist who dominated the decks and the mic with an old soul swagger. — Megan Venzin, Billboard, "The Nine Best Moments of Electric Zoo 2019 Featuring Kaskade, Alison Wonderland, Dog Blood & More," 3 Sep. 2019 Lighthouse-rich Michigan has 20 locations that offer a variety of lodging opportunities, from no-frills island camping on Lake Michigan to a Lake Superior vacation rental with a library, deck and sunroom. — Erin Williams, Twin Cities, "Beacons of possibility: Light stations offer accommodations to travelers across the country," 1 Sep. 2019 The county agency also recommended — and the city plans to deliver — improvements to the pool deck and surfaces, new facility signage, and upgraded lane and step markings. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "One of the city’s oldest public pools is slated to get millions in mandatory fixes," 30 Aug. 2019 Lighthouse-rich Michigan has 20 locations that offer a variety of lodging opportunities, from no-frills island camping on Lake Michigan to a Lake Superior vacation rental with a library, deck and sunroom. — Erin Williams, chicagotribune.com, "Beacons of possibility: Light stations offer accommodations to travelers across the country," 29 Aug. 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Back before air conditioning, in the oven of an Alabama summer, children played in the coolest part of the yard —in the shade of the metal shed or up under the porch decking where the dirt was damp. — Beth Thames | Bethmthames@gmail.com, al, "Ode to the air conditioner," 14 Aug. 2019 Clams on a bed of ice delivered grit in every bite, and a sourdough flatbread decked out in juicy tomatoes and garlic confit was notable mostly for its pale, underbaked crust. — Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, "At Shilling Canning Company, history outshines much of the menu," 2 Aug. 2019 Dozens of police and corrections officers, some decked out in riot gear, were on the scene to maintain control. — CBS News, "Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló resigns after 12 days of protests," 25 July 2019 Taylor Swift, Jennifer Hudson, James Corden, Jason Derulo, Rebel Wilson, Francesca Hayward, Judi Dench, Idris Elba and more are seen in the two-and-a-half minute clip, all decked in feline makeup, cat ears and furry bodysuits. — Rania Aniftos, Billboard, "'Cats' Trailer Transforms Taylor Swift, Jennifer Hudson & More Into Furry Felines: Watch," 18 July 2019 There have also been updates to the video equipment used in the cars, interview rooms decked out to the best available, and body cams worn by the officers. — David Taylor, Houston Chronicle, "Dayton Mayor Wadzeck discusses future growth, road projects," 12 June 2019 New photos from the set of The Crown’s third season have surfaced, with Olivia Colman looking regal as Queen Elizabeth II—decked in a tiara, gown, and all. — Erica Gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "A New Photo from The Crown Season 3 Set Shows Olivia Colman in a Tiara as the Queen," 4 Mar. 2019 De Blasio decked him good on why private health insurance is a failure for most Americans. — Aric Chokey, sun-sentinel.com, "How did the Democratic candidates do in their first round of debates? We rated them.," 28 June 2019 In 1990, this year’s CFDA Lifetime Achievement honoree Bob Mackie decked her out in gold sequins. — Brooke Bobb, Vogue, "Barbie Will Be Honored at This Year’s CFDA Awards," 16 May 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'deck.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for deck

Noun

Middle English dekke covering of a ship, from Middle Dutch *dec covering, probably from Middle Low German vordeck, from vordecken to cover, from vor- for- + decken to cover; akin to Old High German decchen to cover — more at thatch

Verb

Dutch dekken to cover; akin to Old High German decchen

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