workbench
gb/wˈɚkbˌɛnt͡ʃ/ us/wˈɚkbˌɛnt͡ʃ/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
entity
1
sturdy table for manual work
A strong table for doing building or repair work.
Usage pattern:
at/on a workbench; [something] on the workbench
Common mistake:
Often misspelled or written as two words (work bench).
Synonyms
worktable (More general; may not be as heavy or tool-focused.)
|
bench (Broader term; not necessarily for tools or making things.)
Collocations
a wooden workbench
|a heavy-duty workbench
|a garage workbench
|a workshop workbench
|a folding workbench
|a workbench top
|a workbench vise
|clamp [something] to the workbench
|clear the workbench
|build a workbench
Themes
diy
|home
|tools
|crafts
Examples
- He mounted the vise on the workbench and started cutting the metal.
- I left the parts on the workbench so I can finish the repair tomorrow.
- We built a simple workbench for the garage out of plywood and 2x4s.
Learner examples
- My dad has a workbench in the garage.
- I fixed the chair on the workbench.
Noun
technical
C1
entity
2
software environment for a task
A software place that has the tools you need for one kind of work.
Usage pattern:
[a/an] [type] workbench; open/launch the workbench
Common mistake:
May be misunderstood as a physical table when used in IT contexts (e.g., “analytics workbench”).
Synonyms
platform (Broader; may include infrastructure and services beyond the tool interface.)
|
toolkit (Focuses on the set of tools, not necessarily an integrated interface.)
|
IDE (More specific to software development; a workbench can be for other tasks too.)
Collocations
a developer workbench
|a data workbench
|an analytics workbench
|a modeling workbench
|a design workbench
|a workbench module
|a workbench tool
|a workbench environment
|launch the workbench
|integrate with the workbench
Themes
technology
|computing
|software
|business
Examples
- The team uses an analytics workbench to explore customer data and build reports.
- Open the workbench and select the migration tool from the left panel.
- They added a new module to the workbench to support automated testing.
Learner examples
- We use a workbench to analyze the data.
- I opened the workbench and started the setup.
Grammar
Dictionary form
workbench
IPA
GB/wˈɚkbˌɛnt͡ʃ/
US/wˈɚkbˌɛnt͡ʃ/
Syllables & stress
work - bench (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (work)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: workbench
- Plural: workbenches
Expressions
back on the workbench
1/bˈæk ˈɔn ðə wˈɚkbˌɛnt͡ʃ/
fixed phrase
returned for more work
It needs more work again.
Examples
- The engine is back on the workbench after we noticed a leak.
- The proposal went back on the workbench when the numbers didn’t add up.
- This patch is back on the workbench until we confirm it doesn’t break anything else.
on the workbench
1/ˈɔn ðə wˈɚkbˌɛnt͡ʃ/
fixed phrase
being worked on or repaired
Not finished yet because someone is working on it.
Examples
- My laptop is on the workbench, so I’m using a spare one today.
- The new prototype is still on the workbench and hasn’t been tested in the field yet.
- A few bug fixes are on the workbench for the next release.
put [something] on the workbench
1/pˈʊt sˈʌmθɪŋ ˈɔn ðə wˈɚkbˌɛnt͡ʃ/
fixed phrase
business
start working on something
To start working on a problem or plan.
Examples
- Let’s put this pricing issue on the workbench and test a few options.
- They put the feature request on the workbench after the customer complaint.
- We put the draft contract on the workbench and rewrote the risky clauses.