noun

1. a long, hard seat for several persons, with or without a back
2. a seat between the two sides of a boat
3. the place where judges sit in a court
4. 1. the status or office of a judge
   2. judges collectively
   3. a law court
5. 1. an official's seat or his office, status, etc.
   2. the officials in this office
6. ☆
   1. a seat on which the players on a sports team sit when not participating in the action
   2. auxiliary players collectively
7. a stand upon which dogs, or cats, are exhibited and judged at a show
8. a strong table on which work with tools is done, often one that is part of a machine; worktable
9. a terrace along the bank of a body of water, often marking a former shoreline
10. a shelflike layer of rock formed by erosion, mining, etc.
11. a low, usually padded platform used in weight lifting

Etymology: ME < OE benc: see bank

transitive verb

1. to provide with benches
2. to place on a bench, esp. an official one
3. to exhibit at a dog, or cat, show
4. ☆ Sports to take or keep (a player) out of a game