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Desk
A desk or bureau is a piece of furniture with a flat table-style work surface used in a school, office, home or the like for academic, professional or domestic activities such as reading, writing, or using equipment such as a computer. Desks often have one or more drawers, compartments, or pigeonholes to store items such as office supplies and papers. Desks are usually made of wood or metal, although materials such as glass are sometimes seen.
Some desks have the form of a table, although usually only one side of a desk is suitable to sit at (there are some exceptions, such as a partners desk), unlike most usual tables. Some desks do not have the form of a table, for instance, an armoire desk is a desk built within a large wardrobe-like cabinet, and a portable desk is light enough to be placed on a person’s lap. Since many people lean on a desk while using it, a desk must be sturdy. In most cases, people sit at a desk, either on a separate chair or a built-in chair (e.g., in some school desks). Some people use standing desks to be able to stand while using them.
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Desk (noun)
A table, frame, or case, in past centuries usually with a sloping top but now usually with a flat top, for the use of writers and readers. It often has a drawer or repository underneath.
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Desk (noun)
A reading table or lectern to support the book from which the liturgical service is read, differing from the pulpit from which the sermon is preached; also (especially in the United States), a pulpit. Hence, used symbolically for the clerical profession.
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Desk (noun)
A department of a newspaper tasked with covering a particular geographical region or aspect of the news.
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Desk (verb)
To shut up, as in a desk; to treasure.
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Table (noun)
Furniture with a top surface to accommodate a variety of uses.
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Table (noun)
An item of furniture with a flat top surface raised above the ground, usually on one or more legs.
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Table (noun)
A flat tray which can be used as a table.
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Table (noun)
The lineup of players at a given table.
“That’s the strongest table I’ve ever seen at a European Poker Tour event”
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Table (noun)
A group of people at a table, for example for a meal or game.
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Table (noun)
A two-dimensional presentation of data.
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Table (noun)
A service of Holy Communion.
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Table (noun)
A matrix or grid of data arranged in rows and columns.
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Table (noun)
A collection of arithmetic calculations arranged in a table, such as multiplications in a multiplication table.
“The children were practising multiplication tables.”
“Don’t you know your tables?”
“Here is a table of natural logarithms.”
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Table (noun)
A lookup table, most often a set of vectors.
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Table (noun)
The top of a stringed instrument, particularly a member of the violin family: the side of the instrument against which the strings vibrate.
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Table (noun)
One half of a backgammon board, which is divided into the inner and outer table.
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Table (noun)
The flat topmost facet of a cut diamond.
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Table (verb)
To tabulate; to put into a table or grid. from 15th c.
“to table fines”
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Table (verb)
To supply (a guest, client etc.) with food at a table; to feed. from 15th c.
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Table (verb)
To delineate; to represent, as in a picture; to depict. 17th–19th c.
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Table (verb)
To put on the table of a commission or legislative assembly; to propose for formal discussion or consideration, to put on the agenda. from 17th c.
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Table (verb)
To remove from the agenda, to postpone dealing with; to shelve to indefinitely postpone consideration or discussion of something. from 19th c.
“The legislature tabled the amendment, so they will not be discussing it until later.”
“The motion was tabled, ensuring that it would not be taken up until a later date.”
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Table (verb)
To join (pieces of timber) together using coaks. 18th–19th c.
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Table (verb)
To put on a table. from 19th c.
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Table (verb)
To make board hems in the skirts and bottoms of (sails) in order to strengthen them in the part attached to the bolt-rope.
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Table (noun)
a piece of furniture with a flat top and one or more legs, providing a level surface for eating, writing, or working at
“she put the plate on the table”
“he rang the restaurant to book a table for lunch”
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Table (noun)
food provided in a restaurant or household
“he was reputed to have the finest French table of the time”
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Table (noun)
a group seated at table for a meal
“the whole table was in gales of laughter”
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Table (noun)
a meeting place or forum for formal discussions held to settle an issue or dispute
“the negotiating table”
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Table (noun)
the dummy hand (which is exposed on the table).
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Table (noun)
a set of facts or figures systematically displayed, especially in columns
“the population has grown, as shown in table 1”
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Table (noun)
a list of rivals or competitors showing their positions relative to one another; a league table
“the team’s slide down the First Division table”
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Table (noun)
multiplication tables
“children at the school have spelling tests and learn their tables”
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Table (noun)
a collection of data stored in memory as a series of records, each defined by a unique key stored with it.
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Table (noun)
a flat, typically rectangular, vertical surface; a panel.
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Table (noun)
a horizontal moulding, especially a cornice.
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Table (noun)
a slab of wood or stone bearing an inscription.
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Table (noun)
a flat surface of a gem.
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Table (noun)
a cut gem with two flat faces.
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Table (noun)
each half or quarter of a folding board for backgammon.
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Table (verb)
present formally for discussion or consideration at a meeting
“more than 200 amendments to the bill have already been tabled”
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Table (verb)
postpone consideration of
“I’d like the issue to be tabled for the next few months”
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Table (verb)
strengthen (a sail) by making a hem at the edge.