dock
gb/dˈɑk/ us/dˈɑk/
B1
English
~ 8900
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
entity
1
platform where boats tie up
A strong platform beside water where boats can stop and people or goods can get on or off.
Usage pattern:
a dock for [boats/ships]
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse "dock", "port", and "harbor". A "dock" is the platform or place where a specific boat can tie up; a "port" is a town or city where ships load and unload; a "harbor" is the protected area of water where ships can stay safely.
Synonyms
pier (Often a long, narrow structure going out into the water; sometimes used for walking or entertainment as well as boats.)
|
wharf (More technical or commercial; commonly used for places where large ships load and unload goods.)
Antonyms
open water (Emphasizes being away from land or any structure where boats can tie up.)
Collocations
boat dock
|fishing dock
|at the dock
|dock worker
|dock area
|ship at the dock
Themes
travel
|transport
|places
|work
|transportation
Examples
- We walked down to the dock to watch the fishing boats come in.
- The ferry is waiting at the dock for passengers to board.
- The storm damaged several wooden posts along the dock.
- They tied the canoe to the small dock behind the cabin.
- Cargo was stacked high on the dock as workers loaded the ship.
Learner examples
- The boat is at the dock.
- We sit on the dock and look at the water.
- The ship comes to the dock every morning.
- He works on the dock and helps move boxes.
- The children jump off the dock into the lake.
Verb
B2
action
2
bring or come into a dock
To move a boat, ship, or spacecraft to a place where it is fixed so people or things can move on or off.
Usage pattern:
to dock [a boat/ship] at [a place]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say "park a boat" instead of "dock a boat". Use "dock" or "moor" for boats and ships, and "park" for cars and other road vehicles.
Synonyms
moor (More formal/nautical; focuses on fastening a boat with ropes or anchor, not specifically on the dock itself.)
|
berth (Nautical term meaning to bring a ship into a place to rest; somewhat more technical.)
Antonyms
depart (Describes leaving a dock or port rather than arriving and securing there.)
Collocations
dock at the port
|dock the ship
|ferry docks
|spaceship docks
|ship failed to dock
Themes
travel
|transport
|science
|transportation
Examples
- The cruise ship will dock at 7 a.m. tomorrow.
- After two weeks at sea, the crew was happy to dock in their home port.
- The captain carefully docked the ferry despite the strong wind.
- The cargo vessel is scheduled to dock at the south terminal.
- The spacecraft successfully docked with the space station on its first attempt.
Learner examples
- The boat will dock at this city.
- The ship docks at the same place every week.
- The captain docks the boat very slowly.
- The ferry docks, and then the people get off.
- The small boat docks next to the big ship.
Noun
B2
entity
3
platform for loading trucks
A high, strong platform at a building where workers put things on and off trucks.
Usage pattern:
a dock for [trucks/deliveries]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think this "dock" always has water nearby because of the boat meaning. In this sense, a "dock" is just a raised platform at a building for trucks, with no water involved.
Synonyms
loading bay (Common in British English; emphasizes the whole loading area, sometimes including more than just the platform.)
Antonyms
sales floor (In a store context, this is the public area where goods are sold, the opposite side from the private loading dock.)
Collocations
loading dock
|at the dock
|back up to the dock
|dock door
|shipping dock
|truck at the dock
Themes
work
|business
|transport
|transportation
Examples
- The driver backed the truck up to the dock.
- Pallets were stacked beside the loading dock waiting to be shipped.
- All deliveries must come through the rear dock.
- The warehouse has three docks to handle large shipments.
- Workers on the dock wear safety vests and hard hats.
Learner examples
- The truck stops at the dock.
- Workers move boxes from the dock into the store.
- A driver waits at the dock for the new load.
- The dock is behind the building.
- Two trucks are at the dock today.
Verb
B2
action
4
reduce pay or points as penalty
To cut some money from a person's pay, or to take away points, usually as a punishment.
Usage pattern:
to dock [someone]'s [pay/wages/points]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say "cut off" instead of "dock" for pay or points. "Cut off" usually means remove completely, while "dock" means take away a part as a penalty.
Synonyms
deduct (More formal and general; may describe any subtraction, not only as punishment.)
|
penalize (Focuses on the act of giving a penalty; does not necessarily specify that money or points are removed.)
Antonyms
raise (In a pay context, means to increase someone's salary instead of taking part of it away.)
Collocations
dock someone's pay
|dock wages
|dock points
|marks will be docked
|dock him a day's pay
Themes
work
|education
|sports
|law
|finance
Examples
- The company docked his pay for arriving late three times.
- Marks will be docked if the assignment is handed in after the deadline.
- The referee docked the team two points for unsportsmanlike conduct.
- If you damage the equipment, they may dock your wages to cover the cost.
- Her bonus was docked because she missed her sales target.
Learner examples
- They docked his pay because he was late.
- The teacher docks points for spelling mistakes.
- Your pay will be docked if you do not wear your uniform.
- The judge docked the team three points.
- My boss said he will dock my wages this week.
Noun
formal
C1
entity
5
enclosure for defendant in court
In a court, the small closed place where the person who is accused of a crime stands or sits.
Usage pattern:
in the dock
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with the boat meaning and imagine water in a courtroom. In law, "the dock" is only the enclosed seating area for the accused person.
Synonyms
defendant's box (Descriptive phrase; used to explain but not a fixed legal term in all systems.)
Antonyms
bench (Refers to the raised seat for the judge, contrasting with the defendant's lower, enclosed position in the dock.)
Collocations
stand in the dock
|appear in the dock
|back in the dock
|led to the dock
|the prisoner in the dock
Themes
law
|society
Examples
- The defendant stood silently in the dock as the verdict was read.
- She spent three days in the dock during the high-profile trial.
- Reporters crowded into the courtroom, focusing their cameras on the man in the dock.
- The judge ordered the accused to be brought back to the dock.
- For the first time, a major company found itself in the dock over environmental damage.
Learner examples
- The man in the dock is the accused person.
- The woman walks to the dock and stands there.
- The judge looks at the person in the dock.
- Many people watch the man in the dock.
- The police take the suspect to the dock.
Verb
technical
C1
action
6
cut an animal's tail short
To cut off part of an animal's tail or ear to make it shorter.
Usage pattern:
to dock [an animal]'s tail
Common mistake:
Learners may mix this meaning with "dock pay" and think it always means any kind of reduction. In animal care, "dock" is specifically about cutting part of the tail (or sometimes ear) off.
Synonyms
shorten (General verb; does not include the specific idea of cutting part of an animal's tail or ear.)
Antonyms
leave intact (Emphasizes not cutting or changing the animal's tail or ear.)
Collocations
dock a dog's tail
|dock the lambs' tails
|tails are docked
|legally docked
|illegally docked
Themes
animals
|agriculture
|medicine
Examples
- In some countries it is illegal to dock a dog's tail for cosmetic reasons.
- Farmers traditionally dock the lambs' tails to prevent infection.
- The vet refused to dock the puppy's tail without a clear medical reason.
- Many animal welfare groups campaign against docking and ear cropping.
- They no longer dock horses' tails at that stable.
Learner examples
- The farmer docks the sheep's tails.
- Some people dock a dog's tail when it is young.
- In my country, you cannot dock a dog's tail.
- The vet will not dock the puppy's tail.
- They used to dock horses' tails many years ago.
Noun
technical
C2
entity
7
short tail after docking
The part of an animal's tail that is left after the rest has been cut off.
Usage pattern:
a dock on [an animal]
Synonyms
stump (General word for the short part that remains after something has been cut off, not only for tails.)
Antonyms
full tail (Refers to a tail that has not been shortened.)
Collocations
a short dock
|sheep with docks
|dock length
|the dock of the tail
Themes
animals
|agriculture
Examples
- The farmer checked each lamb's dock for signs of infection.
- The breed standard calls for a natural dock rather than a surgically shortened tail.
- She brushed the horse's dock before putting on the saddle.
- The dog wagged its little dock happily.
- Proper care of the dock is important after the tail has been shortened.
Learner examples
- The sheep has a very short dock.
- He looks at the dock of the lamb.
- The dog wags its dock when it is happy.
- They clean the dock to keep it healthy.
- This horse has a long dock.
Noun
C2
entity
8
broad-leaved wild dock plant
A wild plant with big green leaves that often grows like a weed in fields and beside roads.
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize "dock" can be a plant name and may confuse it with the boat meaning in descriptions of countryside or fields.
Synonyms
sorrel (A related common name for some Rumex plants; also used for edible varieties.)
Antonyms
garden flower (Contrasts a wild weed-like plant with a cultivated decorative plant.)
Collocations
dock leaves
|broad-leaved dock
|a patch of dock
|dock and nettles
Themes
nature
|plants
Examples
- Large dock leaves covered the edge of the path.
- The field was overgrown with nettles and dock.
- She rubbed a dock leaf on the nettle sting, just as her grandmother had taught her.
- Dock is often considered a weed in pasture land.
- Clusters of dock plants grew along the riverbank.
Learner examples
- Big green dock leaves grow near the road.
- The farmer pulls up the dock in his field.
- Nettles and dock grow together in this place.
- She sees many dock plants by the river.
- He can tell the difference between nettles and dock.
Grammar
Dictionary form
dock
IPA
GB/dˈɑk/
US/dˈɑk/
Syllables & stress
dock (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (dock)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: dock
- Plural: dock, docks
Verb
- Base: dock
- 3rd Person Singular: docks
- Present Participle: docking
- Past: docked
Word family
Forms
docks
noun
docking
verb
docked
verb
Related words
dockworker
noun
dockside
noun
dockyard
noun
Negative and opposite forms
undock
verb
Expressions
dock points
1/dˈɑk pˈɔɪnts/
fixed phrase
take away points as a penalty
To take points away from a team, player, or student as a punishment.
Examples
- The referee decided to dock three points for the foul.
- Teachers will dock points for late homework.
- The club was docked points for breaking the rules.
dock someone's pay
1/dˈɑk sˈʌmwˌʌnz pˈeɪ/
fixed phrase
subtract money from pay as punishment
To take away some of a person's pay because they did something wrong or broke a rule.
Examples
- The manager warned that he would dock their pay if they were late again.
- They docked her pay for leaving work early without permission.
- Your pay may be docked if you damage company property.
dock with
1/dˈɑk wˈɪθ/
phrasal verb
technical
join to another spacecraft
For a spacecraft to move close and attach to another spacecraft in space.
Examples
- The supply ship is scheduled to dock with the space station tomorrow.
- After several attempts, the capsule finally docked with the orbital module.
- Two spacecraft will dock with each other in orbit during the mission.
dry dock
1/dɹˈaɪ dˈɑk/
fixed phrase
technical
water-free structure for ship repairs
A place where workers take the water away so they can fix the bottom of a boat or ship.
Examples
- The ferry will go into dry dock for its annual safety checks.
- The old warship spent six months in dry dock being restored.
- They built a new dry dock to handle larger vessels.
in the dock
1/ˈɪn ðə dˈɑk/
idiom
on trial or under strong blame
To be the person on trial in a court, or to be strongly blamed and questioned by the public.
Examples
- Several former executives are now in the dock over the fraud scandal.
- For the first time, the company itself is in the dock, not just its employees.
- The minister found himself in the dock after the report was published.
loading dock
1/lˈoʊdɪŋ dˈɑk/
fixed phrase
platform for loading trucks at buildings
A high platform at the back or side of a building where people put things on and off trucks.
Examples
- Please leave all deliveries at the loading dock behind the store.
- The truck is waiting at the loading dock for the warehouse staff.
- They installed a roof over the loading dock to protect workers from rain.