plural socks
1
archaic
: a low shoe or slipper
2
also plural sox
ˈsäks 
: a knitted or woven covering for the foot usually worn under shoes and extending above the ankle and sometimes to the knee
: a knitted or woven covering for the foot usually worn under shoes and extending above the ankle and sometimes to the knee
3
a
: a shoe worn by actors in Greek and Roman comedy
b
: comic drama
socked; socking; socks
: to hit, strike, or apply forcefully
sock a home run
an area socked by a blizzard
: to deliver a blow : hit
: a vigorous or violent blow
also
: punch entry 3 sense 3
Phrases
sock it to
slang
: to subject to or as if to a vigorous assault
they may let you off the first time … but the second time they'll sock it to you—
James Jones
James JonesSynonyms
Noun (1)
Verb
- bang
- bash
- bat
- belt
- biff
- bludgeon
- bob
- bonk
- bop
- box
- bust
- clap
- clip
- clobber
- clock
- clout
- crack
- hammer
- hit
- knock
- nail
- paste
- pound
- punch
- rap
- slam
- slap
- slog
- slug
- smack
- smite
- strike
- swat
- swipe
- tag
- thump
- thwack
- wallop
- whack
- whale
- zap
Noun (2)
- bang
- bash
- bat
- beat
- belt
- biff
- blow
- bop
- box
- buffet
- bust
- chop
- clap
- clip
- clout
- crack
- cuff
- dab
- douse [British]
- fillip
- hack
- haymaker
- hit
- hook
- knock
- larrup [dialect]
- lash
- lick
- pelt
- pick
- plump
- poke
- pound
- punch
- rap
- slam
- slap
- slug
- smack
- smash
- spank
- stinger
- stripe
- stroke
- swat
- swipe
- switch
- thud
- thump
- thwack
- wallop
- welt
- whack
- wham
- whop
- whap
Examples of sock in a Sentence
Verb
kept socking the punching bag until he was exhausted
Recent Examples on the WebNatalie Alcala, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Apr. 2024
Officers found Mitchell in the home wearing all black clothes and a black hat, and a flashlight with a black sock covering nearby.
—Solcyré Burga, TIME, 23 Apr. 2024
Our team tested 97 pairs of socks to narrow down the best ones for every occasion, and the Feetures High Performance Ultra Light Ankle Sock easily earned our top pick for anyone dealing with sweaty feet.
—Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 22 Apr. 2024
During the January trip, Rabbi Daniel Schwartz of Temple Shir Shalom in West Bloomfield dropped off cases of socks at a hotel room that his congregation collected.
—Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press, 22 Apr. 2024
Mixed into the chili were two socks, each containing a replica of Kelce's Super Bowl ring, and an additional sock with the actual 2018 Super Bowl prize.
—Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 19 Apr. 2024
In addition to cozy socks, mesh undies, nipple-soothing products, and perineal spray, the postpartum recovery kit comes with a belly band to provide compression during the C-section healing process.
—Katrina Cossey, Parents, 18 Apr. 2024
How to avoid snakes Below are some tips to help avoid rattlers and other snakes while outdoors, according to the Forest Service:
Prepare for your hike
Wear over-the ankle boots, thick socks and loose-fitting long pants.
—Jacqueline Pinedo, Sacramento Bee, 16 Apr. 2024
First off is a shot at charming the socks off Harry’s wife Alice (Judith Miller) and insecure mope of a daughter Shirley (Carley Herlihy).
—David John Chávez, The Mercury News, 11 Apr. 2024
Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press, 5 Mar. 2024
California’s Franchise Tax Board claimed the inventor lied about his residency and socked him with a bill of $13.3 million in back taxes and penalties.
—K. Lloyd Billingsley, Orange County Register, 25 Feb. 2024
The credits will be welcomed by many customers, who have been socked by inflation and high energy bills.
—Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Mar. 2024
Climate and environment From Mammoth to Tahoe, a powerful blizzard could sock the Sierra with up to 12 feet of snow.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2024
There was also a foot care station, where soggy campers could discuss their preferred mud-fighting footwear techniques while having their feet cleaned, freshly socked and wrapped in plastic—all of the resources being donated by fellow campers.
—Morena Duwe, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2023
Storms that have turned roads into icy death traps, frozen people to death from Oregon to Tennessee and even sent a plane skidding off a taxiway were expected to sock both coasts with another round of weather chaos on Friday.
—Claire Rush, Fortune, 19 Jan. 2024
Although the league granted Green permission to be with his teammates, the four-time All-Star has not participated in team activities since the NBA handed down the indefinite suspension on Dec. 13 for socking Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic in the face.
—Shayna Rubin, The Mercury News, 4 Jan. 2024
Soaring interest rates in the U.S. have boosted the cost of everything from mortgages to credit cards, socking households still hurting from the high inflation.
—Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 7 Nov. 2023
Noun
And don’t forget that the ultimate style icon Chloë Sevigny has been wearing Birkenstocks with socks for years, or that eternal cool girl Zoë Kravitz hops around the city in beat-up Vans paired with ultra-chic slacks by The Row.
—Natalie Alcala, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Apr. 2024
Officers found Mitchell in the home wearing all black clothes and a black hat, and a flashlight with a black sock covering nearby.
—Solcyré Burga, TIME, 23 Apr. 2024
Our team tested 97 pairs of socks to narrow down the best ones for every occasion, and the Feetures High Performance Ultra Light Ankle Sock easily earned our top pick for anyone dealing with sweaty feet.
—Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 22 Apr. 2024
During the January trip, Rabbi Daniel Schwartz of Temple Shir Shalom in West Bloomfield dropped off cases of socks at a hotel room that his congregation collected.
—Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press, 22 Apr. 2024
Mixed into the chili were two socks, each containing a replica of Kelce's Super Bowl ring, and an additional sock with the actual 2018 Super Bowl prize.
—Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 19 Apr. 2024
In addition to cozy socks, mesh undies, nipple-soothing products, and perineal spray, the postpartum recovery kit comes with a belly band to provide compression during the C-section healing process.
—Katrina Cossey, Parents, 18 Apr. 2024
How to avoid snakes Below are some tips to help avoid rattlers and other snakes while outdoors, according to the Forest Service:
Prepare for your hike
Wear over-the ankle boots, thick socks and loose-fitting long pants.
—Jacqueline Pinedo, Sacramento Bee, 16 Apr. 2024
First off is a shot at charming the socks off Harry’s wife Alice (Judith Miller) and insecure mope of a daughter Shirley (Carley Herlihy).
—David John Chávez, The Mercury News, 11 Apr. 2024
Verb
Oddly enough, getting socked with a late fee of up to $41 isn't all that unusual any more for consumers who are juggling their credit card bills.
—Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press, 5 Mar. 2024
California’s Franchise Tax Board claimed the inventor lied about his residency and socked him with a bill of $13.3 million in back taxes and penalties.
—K. Lloyd Billingsley, Orange County Register, 25 Feb. 2024
The credits will be welcomed by many customers, who have been socked by inflation and high energy bills.
—Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Mar. 2024
Climate and environment From Mammoth to Tahoe, a powerful blizzard could sock the Sierra with up to 12 feet of snow.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2024
There was also a foot care station, where soggy campers could discuss their preferred mud-fighting footwear techniques while having their feet cleaned, freshly socked and wrapped in plastic—all of the resources being donated by fellow campers.
—Morena Duwe, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2023
Storms that have turned roads into icy death traps, frozen people to death from Oregon to Tennessee and even sent a plane skidding off a taxiway were expected to sock both coasts with another round of weather chaos on Friday.
—Claire Rush, Fortune, 19 Jan. 2024
Although the league granted Green permission to be with his teammates, the four-time All-Star has not participated in team activities since the NBA handed down the indefinite suspension on Dec. 13 for socking Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic in the face.
—Shayna Rubin, The Mercury News, 4 Jan. 2024
Soaring interest rates in the U.S. have boosted the cost of everything from mortgages to credit cards, socking households still hurting from the high inflation.
—Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 7 Nov. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sock.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near sock
Cite this Entry
“Sock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sock. Accessed 27 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sock
2 of 3 verb
: to hit, strike, or apply forcefully : deliver a blow
sock
3 of 3 noun
: a violent blow : punch
Etymology
Noun
Old English socc "a low shoe or slipper," from Latin soccus (same meaning)
Verb
origin unknown
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