Hacker News Reader

Comment by engtech | Hacker News Reader

Does anyone understand the title of Nature article?

"Italy puts seismology in the dock" ?

is it meant to be "in the dark" ?

  Definition of DOCK
  : the place in a criminal court where a prisoner stands or sits during trial
  — in the dock
  : on trial

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dock

Commonly used in British/Commonwealth English, and Nature is based in London. I don't think I've ever heard it used in American English.

"On the stand" would be the equivalent US idiom.

Not really, because any witness goes on the stand, whether they are a party to the case or not. Saying someone is "on the stand" does not mean they are a criminal defendant.

Only criminal defendants are in the dock.

US and UK court idioms vary widely - a US defendant would be "on trial" while a UK accused would be "in the dock"

Any witness would "on the stand" including a defendant who is called as a witness.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witness_stand https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Courtroom

It's an idiom, often used to express "putting on trial".

"in the dock" is an idiom meaning to be put on trial.

The dock is where the person on trial sits. I.e put seismology on trial.

It means to put on trial.

Thank you for the clarification, guys. I hadn't realized Nature was British/UK.

"In the dock" means "on trial". http://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/in+the+dock.htm...

Reply on news.ycombinator.com