desk
/dɛsk
/noun
1A piece of furniture with a flat or sloping surface and typically with drawers, at which one can read, write, or do other work: he sat at his desk, reading reports [as modifier]: a desk job...
- His specialty was making caskets and exquisite pieces of household furniture, including walnut desks and mantel pieces.
- They're worried that they're vulnerable to another attack while officials sit behind desks writing reports.
- He took out the strap and slammed the belt down on the flat surface of the desk for emphasis.
Synonyms
table, work surface, bureau, writing desk, writing table, roll-top desk, lectern;
counter;
British davenport;
French escritoire, secretaire
2A counter in a hotel, bank, or airport at which a customer may check in or obtain information: the reception desk...
- Having enquired at all car rental information desks at Dublin airport, the answer was alas the same.
- They laughed and hurried sheepishly downstairs, leaving the key on the reception desk in the hotel lobby.
- They walked together with me from the reception desk to the security check area.
3 [with modifier] A specified section of a newspaper or broadcasting organization: he landed a job on the sports desk...
- Reuters' global photo desks will move to Singapore, as will its graphics service, currently in Miami.
- Rumors from the media market suggest that panic is rife at several editorial desks.
- The sports desk at the paper's office was a quarter of a very large room; here, it's literally one sports desk.
4 Music A position in an orchestra at which two players share a music stand: an extra desk of first and second violins...
- We could hardly keep our faces straight and some of the musicians at the back desks laughed behind their music wholeheartedly.
- It will be fine if you plan to scratch away in the back desk of the second violins of an amateur orchestra.
- Intriguingly enough, you didn't try to make a big name for yourself as a cellist but kept your eye on a conducting career from the cello desk.
Origin
Late Middle English: from medieval Latin desca, probably based on Provençal desca 'basket' or Italian desco 'table, butcher's block', both based on Latin discus (see discus).
see disc, dish