rocket

¹rock·et

noun \ˈrä-kət, rä-ˈket\

Definition of ROCKET

: any of several plants of the mustard family: as

a : arugula

b : dame's rocket

Origin of ROCKET

Middle French roquette, from Old Italian rochetta, diminutive of ruca arugula, from Latin eruca

First Known Use: 1530

Rhymes with ROCKET

abet, aigrette, all wet, backset, baguette, banquette, barbette, barquette, barrette, beget, beset, blanquette, boneset, brevet, briquette, brochette, brunet, burette, burnet, cadet, cassette, cermet, Colette, coquet, coquette, cornet, corselet, corvette, coset, courgette, croquette, curette, curvet, cuvette, dinette, dip net, diskette, dragnet, duet, egret, fan-jet, fishnet, fly net, forget, gazette, georgette, Gillette, gillnet, gill net, godet, grisette, handset, hard-set, headset, ink-jet, inlet, inset, jet set, Juliet, kismet, layette, life net, lorgnette, lunette, maquette, Marquette, mind-set, mist net, moonset, moquette, motet, musette, nerve net, noisette, nonet, nymphet, octet, offset, onset, outlet, outset, paillette, pallette, palmette, pipette, piquet, planchette, pound net, poussette, preset, quartet, quickset, quintet, raclette, ramet, ramjet, regret, reset, revet, roomette, rosette, roulette, saw set, septet, sestet, sextet, sharp-set, soubrette, spinet, stage set, stylet, sublet, subset, sunset, syrette, tea set, thickset, Tibet, toilette, tonette, trijet, twinset, typeset, Undset, unset, upset, vedette, vignette, well-set

²rock·et

noun, often attributive \ˈrä-kət\

Definition of ROCKET

1

a : a firework consisting of a case partly filled with a combustible composition fastened to a guiding stick and propelled through the air by the rearward discharge of the gases liberated by combustion

b : a similar device used as an incendiary weapon or as a propelling unit (as for a lifesaving line)

2

: a jet engine that operates on the same principle as the firework rocket, consists essentially of a combustion chamber and an exhaust nozzle, carries either liquid or solid propellants which provide the fuel and oxygen needed for combustion and thus make the engine independent of the oxygen of the air, and is used especially for the propulsion of a missile (as a bomb or shell) or a vehicle (as an airplane)

3

: a rocket-propelled bomb, missile, projectile, or vehicle

Origin of ROCKET

Italian rocchetta, literally, small distaff, from diminutive of rocca distaff, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German rocko distaff

First Known Use: 1611

³rock·et

verb \ˈrä-kət\

Definition of ROCKET

transitive verb

: to convey or propel by means of or as if by a rocket

intransitive verb

1

: to rise up swiftly, spectacularly, and with force <rocketed to the top of the list>

2

: to travel rapidly in or as if in a rocket

Examples of ROCKET

1. Sales rocketed from 1,000 units last week to 5,000 units this week.
2. The train rocketed through the tunnel.
3. The spacecraft rocketed into outer space.
4. Her novel rocketed to the top of the best-seller list.
5. Their album rocketed up the charts.
6. His role in the movie rocketed him to fame.

First Known Use of ROCKET

1837

Related to ROCKET

Synonyms

barrel, belt, blast, blaze, blow, bolt, bomb [slang], bowl, breeze, bundle, bustle, buzz, cannonball, careen, career, chase, course, crack (on), dash, drive, fly, hare, hasten, hie, highball, hotfoot (it), hump, hurl, hurtle, hustle, jet, jump, motor, nip, pelt, race, ram, rip, hurry, run, rush, rustle, scoot, scurry, scuttle, shoot, speed, step, tear, travel, trot, whirl, whisk, zip, zoom

Antonyms

crawl, creep, poke

Related Words

beetle, dart, flit, scamper, scud, scuffle; stampede, streak, whiz (or whizz); gallop, jog, sprint; accelerate, quicken, step out; catch up, fast-forward, outpace, outrun, outstrip, overtake; arrow, beeline

Near Antonyms

dally, dawdle, dillydally, drag, hang (around or out), lag, linger, loiter, poke, tarry; amble, lumber, plod, saunter, shuffle, stroll; decelerate, slow (down or up)

rocket

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Type of jet-propulsion device that uses either solid or liquid propellants to provide the fuel and oxidizer needed for combustion. The hot gases provided by combustion are ejected in a jet through a nozzle at the rear of the rocket. The term is also commonly applied to any of various vehicles, including fireworks, skyrockets, guided missiles, and launch vehicles for spacecraft, that are driven by such a propulsive device. Typically, thrust (force causing forward motion) is produced by reaction to a rearward expulsion of hot gases at extremely high speed (see Newton's laws of motion).