<p><strong>Noun</strong></p><ul><li>A long seat for several people: a bench in the park.</li><li>A seat occupied by an official, especially a judge.</li><li>Such a seat as a symbol of the office and dignity of an individual judge or the judiciary.</li><li>The office or dignity of various other officials, or the officials themselves.</li><li>The seat on which the players of a team sit during a game while not playing.</li><li>The quality and number of the players of a team who are usually used as substitutes: A weak bench hurt their chances for the championship.</li><li>The quality and number of professionals or experts in reserve, to be called upon as needed: The country has a deep bench of scientists.</li><li>Informal. Bench press.</li><li>Also called workbench: the strong worktable of a carpenter or other mechanic.</li><li>A platform on which animals are placed for exhibition, especially at a dog show.</li><li>A contest or exhibition of dogs; dog show.</li><li>Physical Geography: a shelflike area of rock with steep slopes above and below.</li><li>Mining: a step or working elevation in a mine.</li><li>Berm (def 2).</li></ul><p><strong>Verb</strong></p><ul><li>(used with object) to furnish with benches.</li><li>To seat on a bench or on the bench: an election that benched him in the district court.</li><li>To place (a show dog or other animal) in exhibition.</li><li>To cut away the working faces of (a mine or quarry) in benches.</li><li>Sports: to remove from a game or keep from participating in a game: to be benched because of poor hitting.</li></ul>