dugout
dugout Lexical Profile
dugout Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A low, roofed shelter beside a baseball field, soccer pitch, or similar sports ground, where team members, coaches, and staff sit when not actively playing.
"The manager paced nervously in the dugout before deciding to substitute his star pitcher."
A simple boat or canoe made by hollowing out the trunk of a large tree.
"Historical records indicate that the indigenous tribes navigated the local river systems using sturdy wooden dugouts."
A rough shelter excavated in the side of a trench, hill, or bank, traditionally used for protection or as living quarters during military campaigns.
"The soldiers rested in the dugout, finding temporary reprieve from the cold wind sweeping across the trenches."
• Rhymes for dugout
Word Origin & Etymology
Originating in the early 19th century from the phrasal verb 'dig out', it initially referred to canoes hollowed out from tree trunks. The term was later applied in the late 19th century to sunken sports shelters, and during World War I to military trench excavations.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.