bench

Definition

A long seat with or without a back, found for example in parks and schools.

Etymology

From Middle English bench, benk, bynk, from Old English benċ (“bench”), from Proto-West Germanic *banki, from Proto-Germanic *bankiz (“bench”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeg-. Cognate with Scots benk, bink (“bench”), West Frisian bank (“bench”), Dutch bank (“bench”), German Bank (“bench”), Danish bænk (“bench”), Swedish bänk (“bench”), Icelandic bekkur (“bench”). Doublet of banc, banco, and bank.

Example Sentences

• "They sat on a park bench and tossed bread crumbs to the ducks and pigeons."
• "Scarborough station's famous 139-metre-long bench, believed to be the longest in the world, has been restored in a £14,500 project."
• "They are awaiting a decision on the motion from the bench."