man bench

a chair or bench outside a store or mall that men use while their women are shopping.

Tom and Keith sat on the man bench when Cheryl and Cindy went into Dress Barn at the local mall.

by chub December 31, 2006

On the bench

Between client engagements.

IT consultancies are companies who make their money by sending out their employees (programmers, DBAs, business analysts, etc.) to do software projects for their client companies, usually on-site at the client's office.

An employee who is "On the bench" is not on-site, but is sitting back at head office waiting for billable work. They might be doing something useful like self-training or working on an internal system, or they could be just slacking off and editing Urban Dictionary.

But either way, IT consultancies make money by billing their clients for the hours that their consultants spend there, so being "on the bench" costs the company money.

Being on the bench isn't the same as being unemployed - a person on the bench will still get their monthly salary. However, it may lessen their bonus or feed into decisions for who gets laid off. Consultants understandably become worried that nobody wants their skills if left on the bench for too long, especially if other consultants are in demand.

The phrase comes from an analogy from team sports like football or basketball - some of the team are on the field playing, and the rest are sitting on the bench waiting for their turn to go out and play.

John has been on the bench since he rolled off the Megacorp billing system project last week.

by CityNewt October 15, 2010

off the bench

off the bench refers to a person, place or thing that is mad crazy and awesome. the bench is some sort of metaphorical "normal track" of life, because it is straight and confined. When a player (person) is "on the bench", they aren't playing the game (of life). to be off the bench is one who A. goes against the norm and B. enjoys life to its full extent.

1. "why are you wearing that crazy hat around town?"
"maybe if you get off the bench noob, you'd know."

2. "did you see that cat eating with chopsticks? wow, that kitty is WAY off the bench."

3. "i was going to go to the supermarket here in town, but the one in the next district has a water slide out back. how off the bench is that?"

by HillZilla May 26, 2010

left bench

a world that is used to describe when you are not playing and sitting on the bench in a sport.

Last game I let the other team score 10 points, so the next game I had to play left bench.

by Picklesssss May 25, 2018

Sitting on the Bench

Not even in "first base" or watching somebody else go "first base or more" with your girl. It sucks.

"When you are watching some douchebag enter First, second, or even third base or higher with the girl your into, or simply not even able to enter first base, or even the grounds, then you are "Sitting on the Bench"

by njdmanok May 27, 2012

Claim a Johnny Bench

When something that was once at the forefront of popular culture or national consciousness has become generationally extinct.

Tammy: "Do you remember that Valley Girl song?"
Nate: "I'm going to have to claim a Johnny Bench on that one."

by Dean Houser December 9, 2008

Stench Bench

A place for a female to sit that comprises a man's lap and, specifically, his erect manhood. Use of this phrase usually implies that more than just sitting (namely, boning) is underway.

Alex's sister is hot! I may have to let her sit on the Stench Bench.

by Nicholas A. B. June 30, 2008