| bench | Origin: OE. Bench, benk, AS. Benc; akin to Sw. Bank, Dan baenk, Icel. Bekkr, OS, D, & G. Bank. Cf. Bank, Beach. 1. A long seat, differing from a stool in its greater length. "Mossy benches supplied the place of chairs." (Sir W. Scott) 2. A long table at which mechanics and other work; as, a carpenter's bench. 3. The seat where judges sit in court. "To pluck down justice from your awful bench." (Shak) 4. The persons who sit as judges; the court; as, the opinion of the full bench. See King's Bench. 5. A collection or group of dogs exhibited to the public; so named because the animals are usually placed on benches or raised platforms. 6. A conformation like a bench; a long stretch of flat ground, or a kind of natural terrace, near a lake or river. Bench mark, a projecting course at the base of a building, or round a pillar, sufficient to form a seat. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| bench mark | A fixed, more or less permanent reference point or object of known elevation, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) installs brass caps in bridge abutments or otherwise permanently sets bench marks at convenient locations nationwide, the elevations on these marks are referenced to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum (NGVD), also commonly known as mean sea level (MSL), locations of these bench marks on USGS topographic maps are shown as small triangles, since the marks are sometimes destroyed by construction or vandalism, the existence of any bench mark should be field verified before planning work which relies on a particular reference point, the USGS or local state surveyors office can provide information on the existence, exact location and exact elevation of bench marks. (09 Oct 1997) |
| bench testing | Testing of a device against specifications in a simulated (nonliving) environment. (05 Mar 2000) |
| benchmarking | Method of measuring performance against established standards of best practice. (12 Dec 1998) |