deck

 
Pronunciation: /dɛk/

noun

  • 1a floor of a ship, especially the upper, open level extending for the full length of the vessel: he stood on the deck of his flagship the lower decks
  • a floor or platform resembling or compared to a ship’s deck: the upper deck of the car park
  • a floor of a double-decker bus: she was sitting on the top deck
  • a timber platform or terrace attached to a house or other building: sitting on his deck on that sunny Sunday afternoon
  • (the deck) informal the ground or floor: there was a big thud when I hit the deck
  • the flat part of a skateboard or snowboard.
  • 2a component or unit for playing or recording records, tapes, or compact discs: a cassette deck every serious DJ needs a set of decks
  • 3chiefly North American a pack of cards: Craig reached into his pocket and caressed his lucky deck of cards
  • North American informal a packet of narcotics.

verb

[with object]
  • 1decorate or adorn brightly or festively: Ingrid was decked out in her Sunday best
  • 2 informal knock (someone) to the ground with a punch: Lisa threatened to deck her if she didn’t stop filming

Phrases

not playing with a full deck

North American informal mentally deficient: this guy has a screw loose—he wasn’t playing with a full deck

on deck

on or on to a ship’s main deck: she stood on deck for hours
North American informal ready for action or work.

Derivatives

decked

adjective
[in combination]: a three-decked vessel

Origin:

late Middle English: from Middle Dutch dec 'covering, roof, cloak', dekken 'to cover'. Originally denoting canvas used to make a covering (especially on a ship), the term came to mean the covering itself, later denoting a solid surface serving as roof and floor