/ dɒk; NAmE dɑːk/ noun , verb
■ noun
1.
[ C ] a part of a port where ships are repaired, or where goods are put onto or taken off them :
dock workers
The ship was in dock .
—see also dry dock
2.
docks [ pl. ] a group of docks in a port and the buildings around them that are used for repairing ships, storing goods, etc.
3.
[ C ] ( NAmE ) = jetty
4.
[ C ] ( NAmE ) a raised platform for loading vehicles or trains
5.
[ C ] the part of a court where the person who has been accused of a crime stands or sits during a trial :
He's been in the dock (= on trial for a crime) several times already.
6.
[ U ] a wild plant of northern Europe with large thick leaves that can be rubbed on skin that has been stung by nettles to make it less painful :
dock leaves
■ verb
1.
if a ship docks or you dock a ship, it sails into a harbour and stays there :
[ v ]
The ferry is expected to dock at 6.
[also vn ]
2.
if two spacecraft dock , or are docked , they are joined together in space :
[ vn ]
Next year, a technology module will be docked on the space station.
[also v ]
3.
[ vn ] dock sth (from / off sth) to take away part of sb's wages, etc. :
If you're late, your wages will be docked.
They've docked 15% off my pay for this week.
4.
[ vn ] ( computing ) to connect a computer to a docking station
OPP undock
5.
[ vn ] to cut an animal's tail short
••
WORD ORIGIN
noun senses 1 to 3 and verb senses 1 to 2 late Middle English : from Middle Dutch , Middle Low German docke , of unknown origin.
noun sense 5 late 16th cent.: probably originally slang and related to Flemish dok chicken coop, rabbit hutch, of unknown origin.
noun sense 6 Old English docce , of Germanic origin; related to Dutch dialect dokke .
verb senses 3 to 4 late Middle English : perhaps related to Frisian dok bunch, ball (of string etc.) and German Docke doll. The original noun sense was the solid part of an animal's tail , whence the verb sense cut short an animal's tail , later generalized to reduce, deduct .