Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
dictionary thesaurus view recents

dock

noun (1)
Save Word
\ ˈdäk How to pronounce dock (audio) \
plural docks

Definition of dock

 (Entry 1 of 6)

1a : 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 : slip entry 2 sense 1b
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

verb (1)
docked; docking; docks

Definition of dock (Entry 2 of 6)

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

verb (2)
docked; docking; docks

Definition of dock (Entry 3 of 6)

transitive verb

1a : 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
2a : 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

noun (2)

Definition of dock (Entry 4 of 6)

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

noun (3)

Definition of dock (Entry 5 of 6)

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

dock

noun (4)

Definition of dock (Entry 6 of 6)

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)

Synonyms & Antonyms for dock

Synonyms: Noun (1)

Synonyms: Verb (1)

Synonyms: Verb (2)

Antonyms: Verb (2)

Visit the Thesaurus for More 

First Known Use of dock

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

History and Etymology for dock

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

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about dock

Time Traveler for dock

Time Traveler

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

See more words from the same century

Statistics for dock

Cite this Entry

“Dock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dock. Accessed 9 Jul. 2020.

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for dock

dock

verb
\ ˈdäk How to pronounce dock (audio) \
docked; docking

Kids Definition of dock

 (Entry 1 of 3)

1 : to cut off the end of dock a horse's tail
2 : to take away a part of His pay was docked.

dock

noun

Kids Definition of dock (Entry 2 of 3)

1 : an artificial basin for ships that has gates to keep the water in or out
2 : a waterway usually between two piers to receive ships
3 : a wharf or platform for loading or unloading materials

dock

verb
docked; docking

Kids Definition of dock (Entry 3 of 3)

1 : to haul or guide into a dock
2 : to come or go into a dock
3 : to join (as two spacecraft) mechanically while in space

dock

noun
\ ˈdäk How to pronounce dock (audio) \

Medical Definition of dock

 (Entry 1 of 2)

: any plant of the genus Rumex

dock

intransitive verb

Medical Definition of dock (Entry 2 of 2)

: to combine with a molecular receptor the AIDS virus docked at the T cell receptor

dock

noun

Legal Definition of dock

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

History and Etymology for dock

Dutch dialect docke, dok pen, cage

Keep scrolling for more

More from Merriam-Webster on dock

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for dock

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with dock

Spanish Central: Translation of dock

Nglish: Translation of dock for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of dock for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dock

Comments on dock

What made you want to look up dock? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Show Comments  Hide Comments 

WORD OF THE DAY

bromide

Listen to the pronunciation of bromide

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Test Your Vocabulary

A More Exception(al) Quiz

  • hot dog hot dog hot dog hot dog cat
  • Which of the following words is not a synonym for ‘a young person’?
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Bee Cubed

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games