benches

1. 1
   noun

   Plural of bench.

   The city installed new benches along the riverside walking path.

   Spectators crowded onto the benches as the match began.

   Note

   The -es spelling follows the rule for nouns ending in -ch, and you can hear it as well as see it: the ending adds a syllable that bench does not have. The same spelling also serves the verb for taking a player out. On a sports page either can appear: the coach benches a player while the fans fill the benches. The plural also covers the long seats where politicians sit in a parliamentary chamber.

2. 2
   verb

   Third-person singular simple present of bench.

   The manager benches his star striker whenever the man argues with officials.

   Whenever a quarterback throws two interceptions, the head coach benches him for the half.

   Note

   The form that agrees with a singular subject in the present: the coach benches his striker, but the coaches bench theirs. Almost every use takes a direct object, usually a player or someone removed from a position of responsibility. The colloquial gym shortening of bench-press is the exception. It can take a weight as its object or stand alone, as in she benches three times a week.

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