• Rock

    Pronunciation

    • AusE
    • RP IPA: /ɹɒk/
    • Rhymes: -É’k
    • US enPR: rŏk, IPA: /ɹɑk/
    • Homophones: roc

    Origin 1

    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 roche, from Old French), 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).

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

    Full definition of rock

    Noun

    rock

    (countable and uncountable; plural rocks)
    1. (uncountable) The naturally occurring aggregate of solid mineral matter that constitutes a significant part of the earth's crust.
      • 2013-06-29, High and wet, 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.
    2. The face of the cliff is solid rock.
    3. A mass of stone projecting out of the ground or water.
      The ship crashed on the rocks.
    4. (UK) A boulder or large stone; or (US, Canada) a smaller stone; a pebble.
      Some fool has thrown a rock through my window.
    5. A large hill or island having no vegetation.
      • Pearl, Wikipedia http://www.answers.com/topic/paarlThe 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."
    6. Pearl Rock near Cape Cod is so named because the morning sun makes it gleam like a pearl.
    7. (figuratively) Something that is strong, stable, and dependable; a person who provides security or support to another.
      • 1611, King James Bible, ,And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
      • 1991, Robert Harling and Andrew Bergman, Soapdish, Paramount Pictures,Celeste Talbert: She is my rock, my right hand.
    8. (geology) Any natural material with a distinctive composition of minerals.
    9. (slang) A precious stone or gem, especially a diamond.
      Look at the size of that rock on her finger!
    10. A lump or cube of ice.
      I'll have a whisky on the rocks, please.
    11. (British, 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!
    12. (US, slang) A crystallized lump of crack cocaine.
    13. (US, slang) An unintelligent person, especially one who repeats mistakes.
    14. (South Africa, slang, derogatory) An Afrikaner.
    15. (US poker slang) An extremely conservative player who is willing to play only the very strongest hands.
    16. (basketball, informal) A basketball (ball).
    17. A fish, the striped bass.
    18. A fish, the huss or rock salmon.We ordered rock and chips to take away.

    Synonyms

    • (natural mineral aggregate) stone
    • (projecting mass of rock) cliff
    • (boulder or large stone) boulder, pebble, stone
    • (hill or island without vegetation)
    • (something strong, stable, and dependable) foundation, support
    • (distinctive composition of minerals)
    • (precious stone or gem) gem, diamond
    • (lump of ice) ice, ice cube
    • (confectionery made from sugar)
    • (crystallized lump of crack cocaine) crack
    • (unintelligent person)
    • (Afrikaner) Afrikaner

    Derived terms

    Terms derived from rock (etymology 1)

    Origin 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

    1. (transitive and intransitive) To move gently back and forth.
      • 1918, W. B. Maxwell, The Mirror and the Lamp Chapter 12, To Edward … he was terrible, nerve-inflaming, poisonously asphyxiating. He sat rocking himself in the late Mr. Churchill's swing chair, smoking and twaddling.
    2. Rock the baby to sleep.
      The empty swing rocked back and forth in the wind.
    3. (transitive) To cause to shake or sway violently.
    4. Don't rock the boat.
    5. (intransitive) To sway or tilt violently back and forth.
      The boat rocked at anchor.
    6. (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.
    7. (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.'
    8. (intransitive)
      • 2012, April 24, Phil Dawkes, Barcelona 2-2 Chelsea, 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.

    Derived terms

    Terms derived from rock (etymology 2)

    Noun

    rock

    (plural rocks)
    1. An act of rocking.

    Origin 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)

    Verb

    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; to excel.Chocolate rocks.
    3. (transitive) to thrill or excite, especially with rock musicLet's rock this joint!
    4. (transitive) to do something with excitement yet skillfullyI 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, Rihanna was the pick of the best bunch, rocking a black backless crocodile dress from Tom Ford’s Autumn 2012 collection

    Synonyms

    • (play, perform, or enjoy rock music)
    • (be very favourable or skilful) rule
    • (thrill or excite)

    Antonyms

    • (be very favourable or skilful) suck

    Derived terms

    Related terms

    Origin 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
      • SpenserSad Clotho held the rocke, the whiles the thread
        By grisly Lachesis was spun with pain,
        That cruel Atropos eftsoon undid.
    2. (uncountable) The flax or wool on a distaff.

    Synonyms

    Origin 5

    Noun

    rock

    (plural rocks)
    1. (mythical bird)

    Anagrams

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