dock English · revision 10561

+ English has four words spelled dock: a basin for ships, from Middle Dutch; the stump of a tail, perhaps from Old English; the enclosure for the accused in court, from Flemish; and the weed, from Old English docce.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /dɒk/, US /dɑːk/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ {{homograph|1|for ships}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|formation=borrowing|attested=1513|origins=dum docke}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|dum|docke]] or Middle Low German docke,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) of unknown origin,^(Barnhart 1988) perhaps ultimately from Late Latin *ductia, aqueduct, from Latin dūcere, to lead,^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) and perhaps first meaning the furrow a grounded ship makes in a mud bank.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The hollow made by a ship run aground: 1513.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ An artificial basin built for ships is first recorded in 1552,^(Barnhart 1988) and dock as a general word for a pier or wharf only in 1707, in American English.^(Barnhart 1988) ''Dry dock'' is from 1627 and ''dockyard'' from 1704.^(Barnhart 1988) The verb is from the 15th century,^(MWU 2024) and coupling spacecraft in space is a modern use.^(AHD) A dock for charging a mobile device is recent.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1513 – a ship's hollow in mud.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1552 – a ship basin.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1627 – dry dock.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1704 – dockyard.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1707 – a wharf (US).^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An area of water beside or between [[pier|alt=piers]] where ships load, unload or are repaired.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A [[wharf]] or pier.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A unit on which a mobile device is placed for charging.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To bring a ship or vehicle into a dock, or to come into one.^(AHD)

+ # To join spacecraft together in space.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[dockyard]]

+ * [[dry dock]]

+ * [[docker]]

+

+ {{homograph|2|tail; cut short}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1390|origins=ang -docca}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ Middle English dok is possibly from Old English [[m|ang|-docca]], as in fingerdocca, finger muscle,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024) from [[m|gem-pro|*dokkō]], apparently “something round”,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) cognate with Frisian dok, bundle, Middle Low German docke, bundle, doll, and Old Norse dokka, doll, girl.^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The solid fleshy part of an animal's tail: probably about 1390, in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The verb, to cut short, is from about 1378 in Wycliffe, then to cut hair short (in Chaucer) and to curtail.^(Barnhart 1988) To cut off an animal's tail is from the late 14th century,^(Etymonline) and to deduct a part, especially from someone's pay as a punishment, by 1815.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1378 – to cut short.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1390 – the fleshy part of a tail.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1815 – to dock wages.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The fleshy part of an animal's [[tail]], or a tail that has been cut short.^(AHD)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To cut off or shorten an animal's tail.^(AHD)

+ # To take away part of someone's [[wage|alt=wages]] or benefits, especially as a punishment.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ {{homograph|3|in court}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|formation=borrowing|attested=1586}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is borrowed from Flemish dok, earlier docke, a pen or cage for animals,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021) which is of unknown origin;^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) it was probably first rogues' slang.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The enclosure where an accused person stands in court: 1586, the 1580s in Etymonline.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ After 1610 the usual term was bail-dock, and dock was revived and popularized in the 19th century largely through Dickens.^(Barnhart 1988) Word Origins notes that the dock was once crowded with all the petty criminals to be tried that day.^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1586 – the dock in court.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * after 1610 – bail-dock.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 19th century – revived by Dickens.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The enclosed place in a [[court]] of law where the [[defendant]] stands or sits.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ {{homograph|4|plant}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1000|origins=ang docce}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|ang|docce]] (about 1000),^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)^(Hoad 1986) from [[m|gem-pro|*dokkōn]],^(Barnhart 1988) cognate with Middle Dutch and Middle Low German docke and Old Danish dokka,^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) of unknown origin.^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Any of various coarse weeds of the genus Rumex: about 1000.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The phrase ''in dock, out nettle'' was first a charm said while rubbing a nettle sting with a dock leaf (about 1374).^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1000 – the weed.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1374 – in dock, out nettle.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Any of various coarse [[weed|alt=weeds]] of the genus ''Rumex'', with broad leaves.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}