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a long seat for several persons:
a bench in the park.
a seat occupied by an official, especially a judge.
such a seat as a symbol of the office and dignity of an individual judge or the judiciary.
the office or dignity of various other officials, or the officials themselves.
Sports.

the seat on which the players of a team sit during a game while not playing.
thequality and number of the players of a team who are usually used as substitutes:
A weak bench hurt their chances for the championship.

Informal. bench press.
Also called workbench. the strong worktable of a carpenter or other mechanic.
a platform on which animals are placed for exhibition, especially at a dog show.
a contest or exhibition of dogs; dog show.
Physical Geography. a shelflike area of rock with steep slopes above and below.
Mining. a step or working elevation in a mine.
berm (def 2).
to furnish with benches.
to seat on a bench or on the bench:
an election that benched him in the district court.
to place (a show dog or other animal) in exhibition.
to cut away the working faces of (a mine or quarry) in benches.
Sports. to remove from a game or keep from participating in a game:
to be benched because of poor hitting.
on the bench,

serving as a judge in a court of law; presiding.
Sports. (of a player) not participating in play, either for part or all of a game.

Historical Examples

The Quality of Mercy W. D. Howells

noun
a long seat for more than one person, usually lacking a back or arms
a plain stout worktable
(sometimes capital) the bench

a judge or magistrate sitting in court in a judicial capacity
judges or magistrates collectively

(sport) the seat on which reserve players and officials sit during a game
(geology) a flat narrow platform of land, esp one marking a former shoreline
a ledge in a mine or quarry from which work is carried out
(in a gymnasium) a low table, which may be inclined, used for various exercises
a platform on which dogs or other domestic animals are exhibited at shows
(NZ) a hollow on a hillside formed by sheep
verb (transitive)
to provide with benches
to exhibit (a dog, etc) at a show
(NZ) to form (a track) up a hill by excavating a flattened area
(US & Canadian, sport) to take or keep (a player) out of a game, often for disciplinary reasons
n.
v.

To take someone out of active play in a sporting event: coach benched him after one foul
To remove someone from an activity: Don’t bench the staff for that decision

see:

on the bench
warm the bench