deck

1 of 2

noun

ˈdek 

plural decks

1

: a platform in a ship serving usually as a structural element and forming the floor for its compartments

2

: something resembling the deck of a ship: such as

a

: a story or tier of a building (such as a sports stadium)

the upper deck

b

: the roadway of a bridge

c

: a flat floored roofless area adjoining a house

d

: the lid of the compartment at the rear of the body of an automobile

also : the compartment

e

: a layer of clouds

3

a

: a pack of playing cards

b

: a packet of narcotics

4

: tape deck

5

: a collection of visual or photographic slides presented usually one after another as a slideshow

Pompliano was on the job for a mere three weeks in 2015, but in that time he prepared a PowerPoint deck laying out what he believed were the key inaccuracies in the company's numbers.

—Gene Maddaus

Accompanying a talk with images is standard professional practice, but a poorly organized or dense slide deck can spoil a presentation.

—Jeff Link

deck

2 of 2

verb

decked; decking; decks

transitive verb

1

obsolete : cover

2

a

: to clothe in a striking or elegant manner : array

decked out in furs

b

: decorate

deck the halls with boughs of holly

—English carol

c

: to portray or present with embellishments

3

[deck entry 1] : to furnish with or as if with a deck

4

[deck entry 1] : to knock down forcibly : floor

decked him with one punch

Phrases

on deck

1

: ready for duty

2

: next in line : next in turn

Synonyms

Noun

• balcony
• sundeck
• terrace

Verb

• adorn
• array
• beautify
• bedeck
• bedizen
• blazon
• caparison
• decorate
• do
• do up
• doll up
• drape
• dress
• embellish
• emblaze
• emboss
• enrich
• fancify
• fancy up
• festoon
• garnish
• glitz (up)
• grace
• gussy up
• ornament
• pretty (up)
• trim

Choose the Right Synonym for deck

adorn, decorate, ornament, embellish, beautify, deck, garnish mean to enhance the appearance of something by adding something unessential.

adorn implies an enhancing by something beautiful in itself.

a diamond necklace adorned her neck

decorate suggests relieving plainness or monotony by adding beauty of color or design.

decorate a birthday cake

ornament and embellish imply the adding of something extraneous, ornament stressing the heightening or setting off of the original

a white house ornamented with green shutters

, embellish often stressing the adding of superfluous or adventitious ornament.

embellish a page with floral borders

beautify adds to embellish a suggestion of counterbalancing plainness or ugliness.

will beautify the grounds with flower beds

deck implies the addition of something that contributes to gaiety, splendor, or showiness.

a house all decked out for Christmas

garnish suggests decorating with a small final touch and is used especially in referring to the serving of food.

an entrée garnished with parsley

Examples of deck in a Sentence

Noun

We stood on the deck and watched dolphins swim near the ship.

A number of passengers had come on deck.

a seat on the streetcar's top deck

a cabin on B deck

We sat in the lower deck.

We ate out on the deck.

Verb

We spent hours decking the chapel with flowers before the wedding.

He decked him with one punch.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Big Checked Bag $130 $80 at Amazon Sure; boxes may be the primary method for moving your belongings, but having a roomy checked bag on deck is another great way to pack up your apartment and easily transport items to your next destination. —Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 9 Dec. 2024

That interior-exterior blend continues in the upper part of the split-level cockpit, which has a deck that hangs over the area, complete with semi-transparent skylights. —Katia Damborsky, Robb Report, 9 Dec. 2024

Verb

Louisville's top-notch craft breweries are putting on their Santa hats, decking their halls, and getting ready to pour you a seasonal drink (or two). —Kathryn Gregory, The Courier-Journal, 9 Dec. 2024

For more than 75 years, The Colony Hotel has been decking the palms. —Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 9 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English dekke covering of a ship, from Middle Dutch *dec covering, probably from Middle Low German vordeck, from vordecken to cover, from vor- for- + decken to cover; akin to Old High German decchen to cover — more at thatch

Verb

Dutch dekken to cover; akin to Old High German decchen

First Known Use

Noun

1509, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1513, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing deck

• all-hands-on-deck
• deck chair
• deck shoe
• deck tennis
• double-deck
• flight deck
• hit the deck
• observation deck
• orlop deck
• play with a full deck
• poop deck
• promenade deck
• restacked the deck/odds
• tape deck
• weather deck
• well deck

Kids Definition

deck

1 of 2 noun

ˈdek 

1

: a platform extending from side to side in a ship and forming a floor

2

a

: a flat structure resembling the deck of a ship

b

: a flat floored roofless area adjoining a house

3

: a pack of playing cards

deck

2 of 2 verb

1

a

: to clothe in a fine and impressive way : array

decked out in a new suit

b

: decorate sense 1

2

: to provide (as a ship) with a deck