Arrived at a dock or port (for boats); reduced or cut something, like docking someone's pay; or removed part of something like a tail.
From Middle Dutch 'docke,' the place where ships are moored; the 'cutting' meaning came from docking animal tails and later applied to cutting wages, shares, or portions.
The same word meaning 'a boat arrived' and 'money was taken away' comes from the physical action of tying boats at a dock—when money was 'docked' from pay, it was like it was being cut off and tied up just like a ship!
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