dek n. & v. --n. 1 a a
platform in a
ship covering all or
part of
the hull's
area at
any level and serving as a
floor. b the
accommodation on a
particular deck of a ship. 2
anything compared to a ship's deck, e.g. the floor or
compartment of a
bus. 3 a
component, usu. a flat
horizontal surface,
that carries a particular
recording medium (such as a
disc or tape) in sound-reproduction
equipment. 4 US a a pack of cards. b sl. a
packet of narcotics. 5 sl. the ground. 6 any floor or platform,
esp. the floor of a
pier or a platform
for sunbathing. --v.tr. 1 (often foll. by out)
decorate,
adorn. 2
furnish with or
cover as a deck. øbelow deck (or decks) in or
into the
space below the main deck. deck-chair a folding
chair of
wood and
canvas, of a kind used on deck on
passenger ships. deck-hand a
person employed in cleaning and
odd jobs on a ship's deck. deck quoits a game in
which rope quoits are aimed at a
peg. deck
tennis a game in which a
quoit of rope, rubber,
etc., is tossed to and
fro over a
net. on deck 1 in the
open air on a ship's main deck. 2 esp. US
ready for
action,
work, etc. [ME, = covering f. MDu. dec
roof, cloak]
