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ENGLISH · A WORD WITH POSSIBILITIES

rock.

A formation of minerals, specifically:

4 characters1 syllables approx.English language

Meaning & usage

noun/ɹɒk/Canada, Northern-England, Received-Pronunciation/ɹɔk/Australia, British, Southern, Standard/ɹɑk/General-American/ɹɒk/New-Zealand
  1. A formation of minerals, specifically: The naturally occurring aggregate of solid mineral matter that constitutes a significant part of the earth's crust.

    uncountable
    The face of the cliff is solid rock.
  2. A formation of minerals, specifically: A mass of stone projecting out of the ground or water.

    countable · uncountable
    The ship crashed on the rocks.
  3. A formation of minerals, specifically: A boulder or large stone; or (US, Canada) a smaller stone; a pebble.

    Ireland · UK · countable · uncountable
    Some fool has thrown a rock through my window.
  4. A formation of minerals, specifically: Any natural material with a distinctive composition of minerals.

    countable · uncountable
  5. A formation of minerals, specifically: A precious stone or gem, especially a diamond.

    colloquial · countable · uncountable
    Look at the size of that rock on her finger!
  6. A large hill or island having no vegetation.

    countable · uncountable
    The captain named it Pearl Rock after the rising sun illuminated the surface of the island.
  7. Something that is strong, stable, and dependable; a person who provides security or support to another.

    countable · figuratively · uncountable
  8. A lump or cube of ice.

    countable · uncountable
    I'll have a whisky on the rocks, please.
  9. A type of confectionery made from sugar in the shape of a stick, traditionally having some text running through its length.

    UK · uncountable
    While we're in Brighton, let's get a stick of rock!
  10. A crystallized lump of crack cocaine.

    US · countable · slang · uncountable
  11. An unintelligent person, especially one who repeats mistakes.

    US · countable · slang · uncountable
  12. An Afrikaner.

    South-Africa · countable · derogatory · slang · uncountable
  13. An extremely conservative player who is willing to play only the very strongest hands.

    US · countable · slang · uncountable
  14. Any of several fish: The striped bass.

    countable · uncountable
  15. Any of several fish: The huss or rock salmon.

    countable · uncountable
    We ordered rock and chips to take away.
  16. A basketball.

    US · countable · slang · uncountable
    Yo homie, pass the rock!
  17. A mistake.

    US · countable · slang · uncountable
  18. Synonym of stone.

    countable · uncountable
  19. A closed hand (a handshape resembling a rock), that beats scissors and loses to paper. It beats lizard and loses to Spock in rock-paper-scissors-lizard-Spock.

    countable · uncountable
  20. A cricket ball, especially a new one that has not been softened by use

    countable · informal · uncountable
  21. A crystal used to control the radio frequency.

    countable · uncountable
  22. A cheap golf ball.

    countable · uncountable
Where this word comes from

Etymology tree Medieval Latin roccabor.? Old English *rocc Early Medieval Latin rocca Anglo-Norman roquebor. Middle English rokke English rock Inherited 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 roque, (compare Modern French roc, roche, rocher), from Medieval Latin rocca (attested 767), of uncertain origin, sometimes said to be of Celtic (in particular, perhaps Gaulish) origin (compare Breton roc'h). Related also to Middle Low German rocke (“rock ledge”). One suggestion is that it derives from Vulgar Latin *rupica, from rupes (compare rupico).

verb/ɹɒk/Canada, Northern-England, Received-Pronunciation/ɹɔk/Australia, British, Southern, Standard/ɹɑk/General-American/ɹɒk/New-Zealand
  1. To pelt with rocks; to stone.

    transitive
Where this word comes from

Etymology tree Medieval Latin roccabor.? Old English *rocc Early Medieval Latin rocca Anglo-Norman roquebor. Middle English rokke English rock Inherited 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 roque, (compare Modern French roc, roche, rocher), from Medieval Latin rocca (attested 767), of uncertain origin, sometimes said to be of Celtic (in particular, perhaps Gaulish) origin (compare Breton roc'h). Related also to Middle Low German rocke (“rock ledge”). One suggestion is that it derives from Vulgar Latin *rupica, from rupes (compare rupico).

verb/ɹɒk/Canada, Northern-England, Received-Pronunciation/ɹɔk/Australia, British, Southern, Standard/ɹɑk/General-American/ɹɒk/New-Zealand
  1. To move gently back and forth.

    intransitive · transitive
    Rock the baby to sleep.
    The empty swing rocked back and forth in the wind.
  2. To move gently back and forth. To sway one's body as a stim.

    intransitive · transitive
  3. To cause to shake or sway violently.

    transitive
    Don't rock the boat.
  4. To sway or tilt violently back and forth.

    intransitive
    The boat rocked at anchor.
  5. To be washed and panned in a cradle or in a rocker.

    intransitive · transitive
    The ores had been rocked and laid out for inspection.
  6. To disturb the emotional equilibrium of; to distress; to greatly impact (most often positively).

    transitive
    Downing Street has been rocked by yet another sex scandal.
    She rocked my world.
  7. To do well or to be operating at high efficiency.

    intransitive
  8. To be very favourable or skilful; excel; be fantastic.

    intransitive · slang
    Chocolate rocks.
    My holidays in Ibiza rocked! I can't wait to go back.
  9. To make love to or have sex (with).

    ambitransitive · euphemistic · slang
    I wanna rock!
Where this word comes from

Inherited from Middle English rokken, from Old English roccian, from Proto-West Germanic *rokkōn, from Proto-Germanic *rukkōną, from Proto-Indo-European *h₃ruknéh₂ti, from *h₃rewk-, *h₃runk-. See also obsolete Dutch rokken, Middle High German rocken (“to drag, jerk”), Modern German rücken (“to move, shift”), Icelandic rukka (“to yank”); also Latin runcāre (“to weed”), Latvian rũķēt (“to toss, dig”).

noun/ɹɒk/Canada, Northern-England, Received-Pronunciation/ɹɔk/Australia, British, Southern, Standard/ɹɑk/General-American/ɹɒk/New-Zealand
  1. An act of rocking; a rocking motion; a sway.

Where this word comes from

Inherited from Middle English rokken, from Old English roccian, from Proto-West Germanic *rokkōn, from Proto-Germanic *rukkōną, from Proto-Indo-European *h₃ruknéh₂ti, from *h₃rewk-, *h₃runk-. See also obsolete Dutch rokken, Middle High German rocken (“to drag, jerk”), Modern German rücken (“to move, shift”), Icelandic rukka (“to yank”); also Latin runcāre (“to weed”), Latvian rũķēt (“to toss, dig”).

noun/ɹɒk/Canada, Northern-England, Received-Pronunciation/ɹɔk/Australia, British, Southern, Standard/ɹɑk/General-American/ɹɒk/New-Zealand
  1. A style of music characterized by basic drum-beat, generally 4/4 riffs, based on (usually electric) guitar, bass guitar, drums, keyboards (often), and vocals.

    uncountable
Where this word comes from

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 originating in the 1950s, notably more swing-oriented style.

verb/ɹɒk/Canada, Northern-England, Received-Pronunciation/ɹɔk/Australia, British, Southern, Standard/ɹɑk/General-American/ɹɒk/New-Zealand
  1. To play, perform, or enjoy rock music, especially with a lot of skill or energy.

    intransitive
    Let's rock!
  2. To thrill or excite, especially with rock music.

    transitive
    Let's rock this joint!
  3. To have people dancing and enjoying rock music.

    intransitive
  4. To do something with excitement yet skillfully.

    transitive
    I need to rock a piss.
  5. To wear (a piece of clothing, outfit etc.) successfully or with style; to carry off (a particular look, style).

    transitive
Where this word comes from

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 originating in the 1950s, notably more swing-oriented style.

noun/ɹɒk/Canada, Northern-England, Received-Pronunciation/ɹɔk/Australia, British, Southern, Standard/ɹɑk/General-American/ɹɒk/New-Zealand
  1. Distaff.

    countable
  2. The flax or wool on a distaff.

    uncountable
Where this word comes from

From Middle English rok, rocke, rokke, perhaps from Middle Dutch rocke (whence Dutch rokken), 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/ɹɒk/Canada, Northern-England, Received-Pronunciation/ɹɔk/Australia, British, Southern, Standard/ɹɑk/General-American/ɹɒk/New-Zealand
  1. Archaic form of roc (mythical bird).

    alt-of · archaic
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Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.