rock

¹rock

verb \ˈräk\

Definition of ROCK

transitive verb

1

: to move back and forth in or as if in a cradle

2

a : to cause to sway back and forth <a boat rocked by the waves>

b (1) : to cause to shake violently (2) : to daze with or as if with a vigorous blow <a hard right rocked the contender> (3) : to astonish or disturb greatly <the scandal rocked the community>

3

: to rouse to excitement (as by performing rock music) <rocked the crowd>

intransitive verb

1

: to become moved backward and forward under often violent impact; also : to move gently back and forth

2

: to move forward at a steady pace; also : to move forward at a high speed <the train rocked through the countryside>

3

: to sing, dance to, or play rock music

4

slang : to be extremely enjoyable, pleasing, or effective <her new car rocks>

— rock the boat

: to do something that disturbs the equilibrium of a situation

Examples of ROCK

1. She gently rocked the baby to sleep.
2. He rocked back and forth while he stood waiting.
3. The boat rocked back and forth on the waves.
4. An earthquake rocked the town.
5. The building was rocked by an explosion.
6. The news of the murders rocked the town.
7. Their invention rocked the computer industry.
8. The band rocked the crowd.

Origin of ROCK

Middle English rokken, from Old English roccian; akin to Old High German rucken to cause to move

First Known Use: 12th century

Related to ROCK

Synonyms

careen, lurch, pitch, roll, seesaw, sway, toss, wobble (also wabble)

Related Words

blunder, buck, dodder, falter, flounder, halt, hitch, hobble, jerk, jolt, reel, shake, stagger, stumble, teeter, toddle, totter, tumble, vacillate, vibrate, waddle, waver, weave; oscillate, undulate, wag, waggle

See Synonym Discussion at shake

²rock

noun, often attributive

Definition of ROCK

1

: a rocking movement

2

: popular music usually played on electronically amplified instruments and characterized by a persistent heavily accented beat, repetition of simple phrases, and often country, folk, and blues elements

First Known Use of ROCK

1823

³rock

noun

Definition of ROCK

1

: distaff

2

: the wool or flax on a distaff

Origin of ROCK

Middle English roc, from Middle Dutch rocke; akin to Old High German rocko distaff

First Known Use: 14th century

⁴rock

noun

Definition of ROCK

1

: a large mass of stone forming a cliff, promontory, or peak

2

: a concreted mass of stony material; also : broken pieces of such masses

3

: consolidated or unconsolidated solid mineral matter; also : a particular mass of it

4

a : something like a rock in firmness: (1) : foundation, support (2) : refuge <a rock of independent thought … in an ocean of parochialism — Thomas Molnar>

b : something that threatens or causes disaster —often used in plural

5

a : a flavored stick candy with color running through

b : rock candy 1

6

slang

a : gem

b : diamond

7

a : a small crystallized mass of crack cocaine

b : crack 9

8

: the ball used in basketball

— rock adjective

— rock·like \ˈräk-ˌlīk\ adjective

— between a rock and a hard place also between the rock and the hard place

: in a difficult or uncomfortable position with no attractive way out

— on the rocks

1

: in or into a state of destruction or wreckage <their marriage is on the rocks>

2

: on ice cubes <bourbon on the rocks>

Origin of ROCK

Middle English rokke, from Old French dialect (Norman & Picard) roke, from Vulgar Latin *rocca

First Known Use: 14th century

Other Geology Terms

anthracite, boulder, cwm, erratic, igneous, intrusive, mesa, sedimentary, silt, swale

Rock

geographical name \ˈräk\

Definition of ROCK

river 300 miles (483 kilometers) S Wisconsin & N Illinois flowing S & SW into the Mississippi at Rock Island

rock

noun \ˈräk\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of ROCK

1

: a small crystallized mass of crack cocaine

2

: crack—called also rock cocaine

rock

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

In geology, a naturally occurring and coherent aggregate of minerals. The three major classes of rock—igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic—are based on the processes that formed them. These three classes are further subdivided on the basis of various factors, especially chemical, mineralogical, and textural attributes (see e.g., acid and basic rocks; crystalline rock; extrusive rock). See also felsic rock; intrusive rock; mafic rock.