Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Rock

Rock

,
Noun.
See
Roc
.

Rock

,
Noun.
[OE.
rocke
; akin to D.
rok
,
rokken
, G.
rocken
, OHG.
roccho
, Dan.
rok
, Icel.
rokkr
. Cf.
Rocket
a firework.]
A distaff used in spinning; the staff or frame about which flax is arranged, and from which the thread is drawn in spinning.
Chapman.
Sad Clotho held the
rocke
, the whiles the thread
By grisly Lachesis was spun with pain,
That cruel Atropos eftsoon undid.
Spenser.

Rock

,
Noun.
[OF.
roke
, F.
roche
; cf. Armor.
roc’h
, and AS.
rocc
.]
1.
A large concreted mass of stony material; a large fixed stone or crag. See
Stone
.
Come one, come all! this
rock
shall fly
From its firm base as soon as I.
Sir W. Scott.
2.
(Geol.)
Any natural deposit forming a part of the earth's crust, whether consolidated or not, including sand, earth, clay, etc., when in natural beds.
3.
That which resembles a rock in firmness; a defense; a support; a refuge.
The Lord is my
rock
, and my fortress.
2 Sam. xxii. 2.
4.
Fig.: Anything which causes a disaster or wreck resembling the wreck of a vessel upon a rock.
5.
(Zool.)
The striped bass. See under
Bass
.
☞ This word is frequently used in the formation of self-explaining compounds; as, rock-bound, rock-built, rock-ribbed, rock-roofed, and the like.
Rock alum
.
[Probably so called by confusion with F.
roche
a rock.]
Same as
Roche alum
.
–
Rock barnacle
(Zool.)
,
a barnacle (
Balanus balanoides
) very abundant on rocks washed by tides.
–
Rock bass
.
(Zool.)
(a)
The stripped bass
. See under
Bass
.
(b)
The goggle-eye.
(c)
The cabrilla. Other species are also locally called rock bass.
–
Rock builder
(Zool.)
,
any species of animal whose remains contribute to the formation of rocks, especially the corals and Foraminifera.
–
Rock butter
(Min.)
,
native alum mixed with clay and oxide of iron, usually in soft masses of a yellowish white color, occuring in cavities and fissures in argillaceous slate.
–
Rock candy
,
a form of candy consisting of crystals of pure sugar which are very hard, whence the name.
–
Rock cavy
.
(Zool.)
See
Moco
.
–
Rock cod
(Zool.)
(a)
A small, often reddish or brown, variety of the cod found about rocks andledges
.
(b)
A California rockfish.
–
Rock cook
.
(Zool.)
(a)
A European wrasse (
Centrolabrus exoletus
)
.
(b)
A rockling.
–
Rock cork
(Min.)
,
a variety of asbestus the fibers of which are loosely interlaced. It resembles cork in its texture.
–
Rock crab
(Zool.)
,
any one of several species of large crabs of the genus
C
, as the two species of the New England coast (
Cancer irroratus
and
Cancer borealis
). See Illust. under
Cancer
.
–
Rock cress
(Bot.)
,
a name of several plants of the cress kind found on rocks, as
Arabis petraea
,
Arabis lyrata
, etc.
–
Rock crystal
(Min.)
,
limpid quartz. See
Quartz
, and under
Crystal
.
–
Rock dove
(Zool.)
,
the rock pigeon; – called also
rock doo
.
–
Rock drill
,
an implement for drilling holes in rock; esp., a machine impelled by steam or compressed air, for drilling holes for blasting, etc.
–
Rock duck
(Zool.)
,
the harlequin duck.
–
Rock eel
.
(Zool.)
See
Gunnel
.
–
Rock goat
(Zool.)
,
a wild goat, or ibex.
–
Rock hopper
(Zool.)
,
a penguin of the genus
Catarractes
. See under
Penguin
.
–
Rock kangaroo
.
(Zool.)
See
Kangaroo
, and
Petrogale
.
–
Rock lobster
(Zool.)
,
any one of several species of large spinose lobsters of the genera
Panulirus
and
Palinurus
. They have no large claws. Called also
spiny lobster
, and
sea crayfish
.
–
Rock meal
(Min.)
,
a light powdery variety of calcite occuring as an efflorescence.
–
Rock milk
.
(Min.)
See
Agaric mineral
, under
Agaric
.
–
Rock moss
,
a kind of lichen; the cudbear. See
Cudbear
.
–
Rock oil
.
See
Petroleum
.
–
Rock parrakeet
(Zool.)
,
a small Australian parrakeet (
Euphema petrophila
), which nests in holes among the rocks of high cliffs. Its general color is yellowish olive green; a frontal band and the outer edge of the wing quills are deep blue, and the central tail feathers bluish green.
–
Rock pigeon
(Zool.)
,
the wild pigeon (
Columba livia
) Of Europe and Asia, from which the domestic pigeon was derived. See Illust. under
Pigeon
.
–
Rock pipit
.
(Zool.)
See the Note under
Pipit
.
–
Rock plover
.
(Zool.)
(a)
The black-bellied, or whistling, plover
.
(b)
The rock snipe.
–
Rock ptarmigan
(Zool.)
,
an arctic American ptarmigan (
Lagopus rupestris
), which in winter is white, with the tail and lores black. In summer the males are grayish brown, coarsely vermiculated with black, and have black patches on the back.
–
Rock rabbit
(Zool.)
,
the hyrax. See
Cony
, and
Daman
.
–
Rock ruby
(Min.)
,
a fine reddish variety of garnet.
–
Rock salt
(Min.)
,
cloride of sodium (common salt) occuring in rocklike masses in mines; mineral salt; salt dug from the earth. In the United States this name is sometimes given to salt in large crystals, formed by evaporation from sea water in large basins or cavities.
–
Rock seal
(Zool.)
,
the harbor seal. See
Seal
.
–
Rock shell
(Zool.)
,
any species of Murex, Purpura, and allied genera.
–
Rock snake
(Zool.)
,
any one of several large pythons; as, the royal
rock snake
(
Python regia
) of Africa, and the
rock snake
of India (
Python molurus
). The Australian rock snakes mostly belong to the allied genus
Morelia
.
–
Rock snipe
(Zool.)
,
the purple sandpiper (
Tringa maritima
); – called also
rock bird
,
rock plover
,
winter snipe
.
–
Rock soap
(Min.)
,
a kind of clay having a smooth, greasy feel, and adhering to the tongue.
–
Rock sparrow
.
(Zool.)
(a)
Any one of several species of Old World sparrows of the genus
Petronia
, as
Petronia stulla
, of Europe.
(b)
A North American sparrow (
Pucaea ruficeps
).
–
Rock tar
,
petroleum.
–
Rock thrush
(Zool.)
,
any Old World thrush of the genus
Monticola
, or
Petrocossyphus
;
as, the European
rock thrush
(
Monticola saxatilis
), and the blue
rock thrush
of India (
Monticola cyaneus
), in which the male is blue throughout
.
–
Rock tripe
(Bot.)
,
a kind of lichen (
Umbilicaria Dillenii
) growing on rocks in the northen parts of America, and forming broad, flat, coriaceous, dark fuscous or blackish expansions. It has been used as food in cases of extremity.
–
Rock trout
(Zool.)
,
any one of several species of marine food fishes of the genus
Hexagrammus
, family
Chiradae
, native of the North Pacific coasts; – called also
sea trout
,
boregat
,
bodieron
, and
starling
.
–
Rock warbler
(Zool.)
,
a small Australian singing bird (
Origma rubricata
) which frequents rocky ravines and water courses; – called also
cataract bird
.
–
Rock wren
(Zool.)
,
any one of several species of wrens of the genus
Salpinctes
, native of the arid plains of Lower California and Mexico.

Rock

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Rocked
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Rocking
.]
[AS.
roccian
; akin to Dan.
rokke
to move, to snake; cf. Icel.
rukkja
to pull, move, G.
rücken
to move, push, pull.]
1.
To cause to sway backward and forward, as a body resting on a support beneath;
as, to
rock
a cradle or chair
; to cause to vibrate; to cause to reel or totter.
A rising earthquake
rocked
the ground.
Dryden.
2.
To move as in a cradle; hence, to put to sleep by rocking; to still; to quiet.
“Sleep rock thy brain.”
Shak.
☞ Rock differs from shake, as denoting a slower, less violent, and more uniform motion, or larger movements. It differs from swing, which expresses a vibratory motion of something suspended.

Rock

,
Verb.
I.
1.
To move or be moved backward and forward; to be violently agitated; to reel; to totter.
The
rocking
town
Supplants their footsteps.
J. Philips .
2.
To roll or saway backward and forward upon a support;
as, to
rock
in a rocking-chair
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Rock

ROCK

,
Noun.
[Gr., L. rupes, from the root of rumpo, to break or burst. If this is not the origin of rock, I know not to what root to assign it.]
1.
A large mass of stony matter, usually compounded of two or more simple minerals, either bedded in the earth or resting on its surface. Sometimes rocks compose the principal part of huge mountains; sometimes hugh rocks lie on the surface of the earth, in detached blocks or masses. Under this term, mineralogists class all mineral substances, coal, gypsum, salt, &c.
2.
In Scripture, figuratively, defense; means of safety; protection; strength; asylum.
The Lord is my rock. 2Sam. 22.
3.
Firmness; a firm or immovable foundation. Ps. 28.
Matt. 7. Matt. 16.
4.
A species of vulture or condor.
5.
A fabulous bird in the Eastern tales.

ROCK

, n.
A distaff used in spinning; the staff or frame about which flax is arranged, from which the thread is drawn in spinning.

ROCK

, v.t.
1.
To move backward and forward, as a body resting on a foundation; as, to rock a cradle; to rock a chair; to rock a mountain. It differs from shake, as denoting a slower and more uniform motion, or larger movements. It differs from swing, which expresses a vibratory motion of something suspended.
A rising earthquake rock'd the ground.
2.
To move backwards and forwards in a cradle, chair, &c.; as, to rock a child to sleep.
3.
To lull to quiet.
Sleep rock thy brain. [Unusual.]

ROCK

,
Verb.
I.
To be moved backwards and forwards; to reel.
The rocking town supplants their footsteps.

Definition 2024

Rock

Rock

See also: rock, röck, The Rock, and the Rock

English

Proper noun

Rock

  1. A topographic surname​ for someone living near a rock or an oak ( atter + oke ).
  2. A male given name transferred from the surname.
  3. (preceded by "the" or "The") Nickname of Gibraltar.
  4. (preceded by "the" or "The") Nickname of the prison on Alcatraz Island, USA.
  5. (Canada, preceded by "the" or "The") Nickname of the island of Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Usage notes

  • The given name is rare, but had some vogue in the 1950s due to an American film star named Rock Hudson.
  • When used as a nickname for Gibraltar, Alcatraz prison, or Newfoundland, the preceding the is often capitalized.

Anagrams

German

Etymology 1

From Old High German roc.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ʁɔk/

Noun

Rock m ‎(genitive Rocks or Rockes, plural Röcke, diminutive Röckchen n)

  1. skirt (garment)
  2. (Switzerland) dress
Declension

Etymology 2

From English rock.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ʁɔk/ (standard)
  • IPA(key): /ɹɔk/ (less commonly, approximating English pronunciation)

Noun

Rock m ‎(genitive Rocks, no plural)

  1. rock (style of music)
Declension

Luxembourgish

Etymology

From Old High German roc, from Proto-Germanic *hrukkaz. Cognate with German Rock, Dutch rok, Icelandic rokkur.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ʀok/

Noun

Rock m ‎(plural Réck)

  1. skirt

rock

rock

See also: Rock and röck

English

Noun

rock ‎(countable and uncountable, plural rocks)

Solid mineral aggregate.
A boulder.
A yellow diamond.
Several rocks of crack cocaine.
  1. Some formations of minerals.
    1. (uncountable) The naturally occurring aggregate of solid mineral matter that constitutes a significant part of the earth's crust.
      • 2013 June 29, “High and wet”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8842, page 28:
        Floods in northern India, mostly in the small state of Uttarakhand, have wrought disaster on an enormous scale. […] Rock-filled torrents smashed vehicles and homes, burying victims under rubble and sludge.
      The face of the cliff is solid rock.‎
    2. A mass of stone projecting out of the ground or water.
      The ship crashed on the rocks.‎
    3. (Britain) A boulder or large stone; or (US, Canada) a smaller stone; a pebble.
      Some fool has thrown a rock through my window.‎
    4. (geology) Any natural material with a distinctive composition of minerals.
    5. (slang) A precious stone or gem, especially a diamond.
      Look at the size of that rock on her finger!‎
  2. A large hill or island having no vegetation.
    • Pearl, Wikipedia
      The location is particularly well known for its Pearl Mountain or "Pearl Rock". This huge granite rock is formed by three rounded outcrops that make up Pearl Mountain and has been compared in majesty to Uluru (formerly known as Ayers Rock) in Australia."
    Pearl Rock near Cape Cod is so named because the morning sun makes it gleam like a pearl.‎
  3. (figuratively) Something that is strong, stable, and dependable; a person who provides security or support to another.
    • 1611, King James Bible, Matthew 16:18,
      And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of **** shall not prevail against it.
    • 1991, Robert Harling and Andrew Bergman, Soapdish, Paramount Pictures,
      Celeste Talbert: She is my rock, my right hand.
  4. A lump or cube of ice.
    I'll have a whisky on the rocks, please.‎
  5. (Britain, uncountable) A type of confectionery made from sugar in the shape of a stick, traditionally having some text running through its length.
    While we're in Brighton, let's get a stick of rock!‎
  6. (US, slang) A crystallized lump of crack cocaine.
  7. Some people.
    1. (US, slang) An unintelligent person, especially one who repeats mistakes.
    2. (South Africa, slang, derogatory) An Afrikaner.
    3. (US poker slang) An extremely conservative player who is willing to play only the very strongest hands.
  8. Some fish.
    1. The striped bass.
    2. The huss or rock salmon.
      We ordered rock and chips to take away.
  9. (basketball, slang) A basketball.
  10. (rock paper scissors conflict resolution game) A closed hand, a handshape resembling a rock, that beats scissors and loses to paper.
  11. (rock paper scissors lizard Spock conflict resolution game) An closed hand, a handshape resembling a rock, that breaks (beats) scissors and crushes (beats) lizard and is wrapped by (loses to) paper and is vaporized by (loses to) Spock.


Synonyms
Synonyms
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations

References

  1. ↑ http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=rock&searchmode=none

Etymology 2

From Middle English rokken, from Old English roccian, from Proto-Germanic *rukkōną (compare obsolete Dutch (Holland) rokken, Middle High German rocken ‎(“to drag, jerk”), Icelandic rukka ‎(“to yank”)), from *rugnōną, from Proto-Indo-European *h₃ruk-néh₂-, from *h₃runk- (compare Latin runcāre ‎(“to weed”), Latvian rũķēt ‎(“to toss, dig”)).

Verb

rock ‎(third-person singular simple present rocks, present participle rocking, simple past and past participle rocked)

  1. (transitive and intransitive) To move gently back and forth.
    • 1918, W. B. Maxwell, chapter 12, in The Mirror and the Lamp:
      To Edward […] he was terrible, nerve-inflaming, poisonously asphyxiating. He sat rocking himself in the late Mr. Churchill's swing chair, smoking and twaddling.
    Rock the baby to sleep.‎
    The empty swing rocked back and forth in the wind.‎
  2. (transitive) To cause to shake or sway violently.
    Don't rock the boat.‎
  3. (intransitive) To sway or tilt violently back and forth.
    The boat rocked at anchor.‎
  4. (transitive and intransitive, of ore etc.) To be washed and panned in a cradle or in a rocker.
    The ores had been rocked and laid out for inspection.‎
  5. (transitive) To disturb the emotional equilibrium of; to distress; to greatly impact (most often positively).
    Downing Street has been rocked by yet another sex scandal.‎
    She rocked my world.‎
  6. (intransitive) To do well or to be operating at high efficiency.
    • 2012 April 24, Phil Dawkes, “Barcelona 2-2 Chelsea”, in BBC Sport:
      The Blues' challenge had been rocking at that point, with Terry's centre-back partner Gary Cahill lost to injury and Barca having just levelled the tie through Busquets's neat, close-range finish from Isaac Cuenca's pull-back.
  7. (euphemistic) to make love to or have sex with someone.
    Yarbrough & Peoples, "Don't Stop the Music": I just wanna rock you, all night long.
    Andy Kim, "Rock Me Gently": Rock me gently, rock me slowly, take it easy, don't you know, that I have never been loved like this before.
    George_McCrae, "Rock Your Baby": Open up your heart / And let the loving start / Oh, woman, take me in your arms / Rock your baby.
Derived terms
Translations

Noun

rock ‎(plural rocks)

  1. An act of rocking; a rocking motion; a sway.
Translations

Etymology 3

Shortened from rock and roll. Since the meaning of rock has adapted to mean a simpler, more modern, metal-like genre, rock and roll has generally been left referring to earlier forms such as that of the 1950s, notably more swing-oriented style.

Noun

rock ‎(uncountable)

  1. A style of music characterized by basic drum-beat, generally 4/4 riffs, based on (usually electric) guitar, bass guitar, drums, and vocals.
Synonyms
  • (style of music):
Translations

Verb

rock ‎(third-person singular simple present rocks, present participle rocking, simple past and past participle rocked)

  1. (intransitive) To play, perform, or enjoy rock music, especially with a lot of skill or energy.
    Let’s rock!
  2. (intransitive, slang) To be very favourable or skilful; excel; be fantastic.
    Chocolate rocks.
    My holidays in Ibiza rocked! I can't wait to go back.
  3. (transitive) to thrill or excite, especially with rock music
    Let's rock this joint!
  4. (transitive) to do something with excitement yet skillfully
    I need to rock a piss.
  5. (transitive) To wear (a piece of clothing, outfit etc.) successfully or with style; to carry off (a particular look, style).
    • 2011, Tim Jonze, The Guardian, 29 Apr 2011:
      Take today, where she's rocking that well-known fashion combo – a Tory Burch outfit offset with a whacking great bruise attained by smacking her head on a plane's overhead lockers.
    • 2012 May 8, “Rhianna dazzles at the Met Gala”, in The Sun newspaper:
      Rihanna was the pick of the best bunch, rocking a black backless crocodile dress from Tom Ford’s Autumn 2012 collection
Synonyms
  • (be very favourable or skilful): rule
Antonyms
  • (be very favourable or skilful): suck
Translations
Derived terms
Related terms

Etymology 4

From Middle English rok, rocke, rokke, perhaps from Middle Dutch rocke (whence Dutch rok), Middle Low German rocken, or Old Norse rokkr (whence Icelandic / Faroese rokkur, Danish rok, Swedish spinnrock ‎(“spinning wheel”)). Cognate with Old High German rocko ‎(“distaff”).

Noun

rock ‎(countable and uncountable, plural rocks)

  1. (countable) distaff
    • Spenser
      Sad Clotho held the rocke, the whiles the thread / By grisly Lachesis was spun with pain, / That cruel Atropos eftsoon undid.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Chapman to this entry?)
  2. (uncountable) The flax or wool on a distaff.
Synonyms
  • (distaff): distaff
  • (flax or wool):
Translations

Etymology 5

Noun

rock ‎(plural rocks)

  1. Archaic form of roc (mythical bird)

Anagrams

Catalan

Noun

rock m ‎(uncountable)

  1. rock, rock music

Czech

Etymology

From English rock.

Noun

rock m

  1. rock (style of music)

Derived terms

Dutch

Pronunciation

  • Rhymes: -ɔk
  • IPA(key): /rɔk/

Etymology

From English rock.

Noun

rock m ‎(uncountable)

  1. rock (style of music)

Finnish

Etymology

From English

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈrok/

Noun

rock

  1. rock (style of music)

Declension

Inflection of rock (Kotus type 5/risti, no gradation)
nominative rock rockit
genitive rockin rockien
partitive rockia rockeja
illative rockiin rockeihin
singular plural
nominative rock rockit
accusative nom. rock rockit
gen. rockin
genitive rockin rockien
partitive rockia rockeja
inessive rockissa rockeissa
elative rockista rockeista
illative rockiin rockeihin
adessive rockilla rockeilla
ablative rockilta rockeilta
allative rockille rockeille
essive rockina rockeina
translative rockiksi rockeiksi
instructive — rockein
abessive rockitta rockeitta
comitative — rockeineen

Synonyms

Derived terms

French

Etymology

From English

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ʁɔk/

Noun

rock m ‎(uncountable)

  1. rock (style of music)

Italian

Etymology

From English

Noun

rock

  1. rock (style of music)

Portuguese

Alternative forms

Etymology

From English rock.

Pronunciation

  • (Portugal) IPA(key): /ʁɔk/, /ʀɔk/
  • (Brazil) IPA(key): /'ʁɔk/ ~ /'ʁɔ.ki/, /'hɔk/ ~ /'hɔ.ki/

Noun

rock m (uncountable)

  1. rock (style of music)

Synonyms

Related terms

Spanish

Etymology

From English rock.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [rok]

Noun

rock m ‎(plural rocks)

  1. rock (music style)

Derived terms

Related terms

Swedish

Pronunciation

Noun

rock c

  1. a coat, an overcoat
  2. (music, uncountable) rock, rock and roll

Declension

Inflection of rock 
Singular Plural
Indefinite Definite Indefinite Definite
Nominative rock rocken rockar rockarna
Genitive rocks rockens rockars rockarnas

Related terms

  • rockband
  • rockmusik
  • rockslag
  • söndagsrock
  • vinterrock
  • ytterrock

Synonyms

Etymology

From Middle English rocke, rokke ‎(“rock formation”), from Old English *rocc ‎(“rock”), as in Old English stānrocc ‎(“high stone rock, peak, obelisk”), and also later from Anglo-Norman, Old Northern French roc, roce, roque (compare Modern French roc, roche, rocher), from Medieval Latin rocca (attested 767), from Vulgar Latin *rocca, of uncertain origin, sometimes said to be of Celtic (Gaulish) origin (compare Breton roc'h).[1]

Pronunciation

Similar Results