desk

Pluraldesks

Formsdesks, desking, desked

1. 1
   nouncountable

   A piece of furniture with a flat top where you write, read, or work, often with drawers underneath.

   Like a table made just for writing and reading.

   She cleared her desk before leaving the office.

   The classroom had a small desk for each student.

   Note
2. 2
   nouncountable

   A part of a company, such as a newspaper or trading firm, that handles one topic or job.

   Like one team in a company that only deals with one kind of work.

   She works at the news desk and reports on local stories.

   Everyone on the trading desk stayed late to track the markets.

   Similardepartment, section, bureau, division

   Note
3. 3
   nouncountable

   A stand that holds the book read aloud during a church service. In some places it can also mean the pulpit.

   Like a music stand, but for the holy book a priest reads from.

   The minister opened the Bible on the desk and began to read.

   A carved wooden desk stood at the front of the chapel.

   Similarlectern, pulpit

   Note
4. 4
   nouncountable

   In an orchestra, a seat with a music stand where a string player sits, often shared by two players.

   Like two students sharing one table in class.

   She sits at the first desk in the violin section.

   Each desk shares one music stand between two players.

   Similarstand

   Note
5. 5
   nounabbreviationellipsis

   Short form of mixing desk. It means the board used to control sound levels during a recording or show.

   The engineer slid the faders up on the desk during the show.

   She adjusted the levels on the desk until the mix sounded right.

   Note
6. 6
   verbtransitive

   To give a person, room, or workplace a desk or desks to work at.

   Like setting up a table for each worker before they arrive.

   The school will desk every new classroom before fall.

   They desked the entire office in a single weekend.

   Note
7. 7
   verbtransitive

   To turn down an article sent to a newspaper or journal right away, without reading it fully.

   Like a teacher saying no to a paper without reading it.

   Editors often desk papers that don't fit the journal's topic.

   The magazine desked her essay within a day of submission.

   Similarreject, spike, decline

   Oppositeaccept

   Note
8. 8
   verbtransitive

   To lock something away in a desk, or to keep it as something precious.

   Like hiding a treasure in a locked box and keeping it safe.

   She desked the letters and never showed them to anyone.

   He likes to desk his savings rather than spend them.

   Similarstash, hoard, hide, store, stow

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