reading desk
- noun
- /ˈriːdɪŋ dɛsk/
- She placed her favorite book on the reading desk to enjoy it comfortably.
Examples
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The professor stood next to the reading desk while explaining the text to his students.
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The master at his reading desk marked an epochal instruction, a philosophical melodrama of the grand interpreter altering the course of thought.
Academic text (2000) -
He adjusted the height of the reading desk so he could read more easily during his lecture.
Synonyms
A tall stand with a tilted top for holding a book or notes when speaking
A stand that holds a book open so people can read or see it
How Portable
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a desk for holding books/texts for reading' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'reading' (material or the act of reading) with 'desk' (a piece of furniture). The attributive/gerund + noun composition is a common, regular pattern cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer the MWE's purpose.
Etymology
Reading desk is a simple, literal name: it is a small stand or desk with a slanted top that holds a book so someone can read or give a talk without holding the pages. So, reading desk means 'a desk or stand that holds books at the right height and angle for reading or giving a talk'.