bench

bench — noun

1. a narrow seat made of wood, stone, or metal that several people can sit on side

1.名詞B2
釋義

a narrow seat made of wood, stone, or metal that several people can sit on side by side, typically placed in a park, garden, or other public area.

例句

Eitan sat on a wooden bench outside the library to eat his lunch.

sit on a bench

The park has stone benches along the path beside the rose garden.

benches along [path/wall]

同義詞
  • seat

    general word; a bench is a specific kind of seat for several people

  • pew

    a long bench specifically inside a church

用法筆記

Most often modified by a material (wooden, stone, metal) or a location (park, garden, church). Distinguish from sense 2 (work surface) by context: people sit on this one, but work on the other.

常見錯誤

❌I sat in the bench.
✅I sat on the bench.
💡use 'on' with bench, not 'in'.

2. a strong, flat table where someone uses tools to build, repair, or shape things,

2.名詞B2
釋義

a strong, flat table where someone uses tools to build, repair, or shape things, of the kind that carpenters and mechanics use in their workshops.

例句

Leila clamped the broken chair leg to her bench before sanding it.

clamp something to a bench

The garage had a long bench covered with tools and metal scraps.

同義詞
  • workbench

    the more specific compound; means exactly the same thing

  • worktable

    broader; covers tables for sewing or crafts as well

用法筆記

Often appears as the compound 'workbench'. Subject is usually a person making or repairing something with hand tools; rarely used for an office desk.

常見錯誤

❌She studied at the bench.
✅She studied at the desk.
💡use 'desk' for studying or office work; 'bench' is for hands-on work with tools.

3. a padded narrow platform in a gym, used for lifting weights and similar exercise

3.名詞
釋義

a padded narrow platform in a gym, used for lifting weights and similar exercises while lying flat on your back.

例句

Anaya lay flat on the bench and pressed the dumbbells above her chest.

lie on the bench

The trainer adjusted the bench to a steep angle for the next exercise.

adjust the bench

同義詞

用法筆記

Almost always paired with weight-training verbs: lie on, sit on, press, adjust. Used in the compound 'bench press' for the specific chest exercise.

4. the place beside a field or court where members of a sports team wait their turn

4.名詞
釋義

the place beside a field or court where members of a sports team wait their turn to enter the match; also used to mean the waiting players themselves.

例句

The coach kept his star striker on the bench for the first half.

on the bench (waiting to play)

Real Madrid have a strong bench full of experienced players.

a strong / deep bench

同義詞
  • reserves

    the players, not the seat

  • substitutes

    British English; the players ready to come on

  • dugout

    the covered shelter where baseball or football reserves sit

反義詞

文法句型

the bench

on the bench

off the bench

用法筆記

Frequently appears with 'on', 'off', 'from'. The phrase 'a deep / strong bench' means a team has many good reserve players. Distinguish from sense 1: this bench is always linked to a sports team, not just any seat.

常見錯誤

❌He came out of the bench and scored.
✅He came off the bench and scored.
💡use 'off' (not 'out of') for entering a game from reserve.

5. the raised seat in a courtroom occupied by the judge; more broadly, the office h

5.名詞
釋義

the raised seat in a courtroom occupied by the judge; more broadly, the office held by someone who decides legal cases, or all such officials taken together.

例句

The defendant stood quietly as the judge took her place on the bench.

take a place on the bench

Justice Zara was appointed to the bench after thirty years as a lawyer.

be appointed to the bench (= become a judge)

同義詞
  • judiciary

    broader; the entire system of judges and courts

  • court

    can mean the institution, the room, or the judges; bench refers more narrowly to the judges

反義詞
  • bar

    the lawyers who argue cases, as opposed to the judges who hear them

文法句型

the bench

用法筆記

Almost always 'the bench'. Formal and legal in register. Distinguish from sense 1: this is never a casual outdoor seat. From sense 6: this is law-court, not parliament.

常見錯誤

❌She became judge of the bench.
✅She was appointed to the bench.
💡the fixed phrase is 'appointed to the bench', meaning become a judge.

6. one of the long seats arranged along each side of the British parliamentary cham

6.名詞
釋義

one of the long seats arranged along each side of the British parliamentary chamber, often used to mean a specific party or group of MPs sitting there.

例句

The Prime Minister rose from the front bench to answer the question.

front bench (= senior politicians)

Cheers and laughter came from the Labour benches across the chamber.

[party] benches

用法筆記

Common compounds: 'front bench' (senior MPs and ministers), 'back benches' (ordinary MPs), 'opposition benches'. British politics specific; not used the same way in US Congress.

常見錯誤

❌He sits in the front bench of Congress.
✅He sits on the front bench in Parliament.
💡use 'on the bench' and 'Parliament', not 'Congress' (this term is British).

bench — verb