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Glite Dictionary
graving dock

graving dock

8.4
A large dock that can be emptied of water so workers can fix the bottom of a ship
  • noun
  • /ˈɡreɪvɪŋ dɒk/
  • Specialized
translation icon : dique seco
  • The new vessel was towed into the graving dock for hull repairs.

Examples

  • The ship was placed in the graving dock for repairs.

  • The historic port includes a restored graving dock dating back to the nineteenth century.

  • Without a graving dock, it would be impossible to maintain the ship's underside.

  • Many large vessels are built in a graving dock.

  • The new vessel was towed into the graving dock for hull repairs.

  • Many large vessels are built in a graving dock to ensure their durability.

  • Without a graving dock, it would be difficult to access the ship's underwater areas.

Synonyms

dry dock
vsgraving dock
  • Specialized
4 6.1

A place where workers empty the water so they can build or fix a ship's bottom

is the same term but often written as one word
drydock
vsgraving dock
  • Specialized
1 7.0

A large dock that can be drained of water to build or fix the bottom of ships

is an older term sometimes used instead of the one-word form

Surface Forms

graving dock singular
graving docks plural

Morphology

graving + dock

This is a specialized, somewhat archaic nautical term: while 'dock' signals a ship structure, the modifier 'graving' (given here as 'carving') does not transparently indicate pumping out water or creating a dry dock. The overall meaning (a dock drained for below-waterline work) cannot be predicted from the constituent meanings a B1 learner would know, so it is idiomatic/technical and opaque.

Etymology

Graving dock comes from an old word graving that meant 'to dig' or 'to scrape'. A graving dock is a large dock where water is pumped out so workers can reach the bottom of a ship to clean or repair it, so the name links the 'dig/scrape' idea to the place for fixing ships.