desk S2 W2 /desk/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Medieval Latin ; Origin: desca , from Latin discus 'dish, disk' ]
1 . a piece of furniture like a table, usually with drawers in it, that you sit at to write and work:
Marie was sitting at her desk.
2 . a place where you can get information or use a particular service in a hotel, airport etc:
the reception desk
the check-in desk
3 . an office that deals with a particular subject, especially in newspapers or television
the news/sports desk
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ adjectives
▪ tidy
How come your desk is always so tidy?
▪ cluttered (=covered with papers, books etc in an untidy way)
His desk is so cluttered he can't find anything.
▪ empty (=that no one is using)
There are one or two empty desks in the office.
▪ a school desk
The children are at their school desks by 8:30 in the morning.
▪ an office desk
I got back from holiday to find piles of papers on my office desk.
▪ a writing desk (=that you use for writing letters etc)
Under the window was a small writing desk.
▪ a wooden/mahogany/rosewood etc desk
He sat at a plain wooden desk.
■ verbs
▪ sit at a desk
I don't want to do a job in which I'm sitting at a desk all day.
▪ get up from your desk
He got up from his desk to welcome the visitors.
▪ tidy your desk
I need to tidy my desk.
▪ clear your desk (=remove all the papers etc from it)
It's a good idea to clear your desk regularly.
■ desk + NOUN
▪ a desk job (=working mostly at a desk in an office)
He left his desk job to become a gardener.
▪ a desk drawer
I think I left my car keys in the desk drawer.
▪ a desk lamp
Don't forget to switch off the desk lamp.