block

1 of 2

noun

ˈbläk 

often attributive

1

: a compact usually solid piece of substantial material especially when worked or altered to serve a particular purpose

a block of ice

blocks of cheese

: such as

a

: the piece of wood on which the neck of a person condemned to be beheaded is laid for execution

put her neck on the block

b

: a mold or form on which articles are shaped or displayed

a wooden hat block

c

: a hollow rectangular building unit usually of artificial material

a wall of concrete blocks

d

: a lightweight usually cubical and solid wooden or plastic building toy that is usually provided in sets

children playing with blocks

e

: the casting that contains the cylinders of an internal combustion engine

engine block

f

sports : starting block

the first swimmer off the blocks

a slow start out of the blocks

2

a

: obstacle

putting a block on any future development

b

sports : an obstruction of an opponent's play

especially, football : a halting or impeding of the progress or movement of an opponent by use of the body

a block by the right tackle

c medical

(1)

: interruption of normal physiological function (as of a tissue or organ)

especially : heart block

The patient presented with a block.

(2)

: local anesthesia (as by injection) produced by interruption of the flow of impulses along a nerve

d

psychology : interruption or cessation especially of train of thought by competing thoughts or psychological suppression

a mental block

an emotional block

compare writer's block

3

slang : head sense 1

threatened to knock his block off

4

: a wooden or metal case enclosing one or more pulleys and having a hook, eye, or strap by which it may be attached

5

: a piece of material (such as wood or linoleum) having on its surface a hand-cut design from which impressions are to be printed

wooden blocks used for printing books

6

a(1)

: a usually rectangular space (as in a city) enclosed by streets and occupied by or intended for buildings

She lived on our block.

(2)

: the distance along one of the sides of such a block

The store is two blocks down on the right.

lived a block away from the school

b(1)

: a large building divided into separate functional units

an apartment block

(2)

: a line of row houses

(3)

: a distinctive part of a building or integrated group of buildings

a block of classrooms

7

: a platform from which property is sold at auction

went on the block and sold for nearly three million dollars

8

a

: a quantity, number, or section of things dealt with as a unit

bought a large block of shares

a half-hour block of music

a block of text

b

: bloc sense 2

popular among several voting blocks

block

2 of 2

verb

blocked; blocking; blocks

transitive verb

1

a

: to make unsuitable for passage or progress by obstruction

The road was blocked by a rock slide.

b

archaic : blockade

… a city … besieged and blocked about …

—John Milton

c

: to hinder the passage, progress, or accomplishment of by or as if by interposing an obstruction

The ambulance was blocked by traffic.

senators trying to block passage of the bill

d

: to shut off from view

The building blocks our view of the ocean.

e

: to interfere usually legitimately with (an opponent, an opponent's shot, etc.) in various games or sports

practice blocking our opponents

blocked the shot with her hand

f

: to prevent normal functioning or action of

block a nerve with novocaine

g

: to restrict the exchange of (currency, checks, etc.)

2

: to mark or indicate the outline or chief lines of

block out a design

3

: to shape on, with, or as if with a block (see block entry 1 sense 1b)

block a hat

4

: to secure, support, or provide with a block (see block entry 1 sense 1)

blocking a plate for printing

block up the rear wheels

5

: to work out (the principal positions and movements) for the performers (as of a play)

also : to work out the players' positions and movements for (a scene or a play)

—often used with out

block out a scene before the actors arrive on set

6

typesetting : to make (two or more lines of writing or type) flush at the left or at both left and right

7

golf : to hit (a ball or shot) inaccurately toward the right from a right-handed swing or toward the left from a left-handed swing : push

… you get excited, don't finish your backswing and block your next drive into the foliage.

—Thomas Boswell

intransitive verb

sports : to interfere usually legitimately with an opponent : to block an opponent

needs to practice blocking

blocker noun

Phrases

around the block

: through many experiences

—used especially to say that someone is no longer young or has become knowledgeable, capable, or mature because of past experience

… it seemed possible that to fall for a woman who had been around the block a few times might be to rob himself of much of the purely ornamental elements … of first love.

—Michael Chabon

on the block

: for sale

The business is now on the block.

Synonyms

Noun

• array
• assemblage
• band
• bank
• batch
• battery
• bunch
• clot
• clump
• cluster
• clutch
• collection
• constellation
• group
• grouping
• huddle
• knot
• lot
• muster
• package
• parcel
• passel
• set
• suite

Verb

• bung
• dam
• fill
• pack
• plug
• stop
• stuff

Choose the Right Synonym for block

hinder, impede, obstruct, block mean to interfere with the activity or progress of.

hinder stresses causing harmful or annoying delay or interference with progress.

rain hindered the climb

impede implies making forward progress difficult by clogging, hampering, or fettering.

tight clothing that impedes movement

obstruct implies interfering with something in motion or in progress by the sometimes intentional placing of obstacles in the way.

the view was obstructed by billboards

block implies complete obstruction to passage or progress.

a landslide blocked the road

Examples of block in a Sentence

Noun

a wall built out of concrete blocks

We took a walk around the block.

She lived on our block.

The store is three blocks down on the right.

Verb

There's an accident blocking the road.

The entrance was blocked by a gate.

Blood clots have completely blocked one of his arteries.

The protesters blocked the road with parked vehicles.

The ambulance was blocked by cars in the road.

An accident was blocking traffic.

Could you move to the left, please. You're blocking my light.

a shield that blocks the wind

Several senators are trying to block the passage of the bill.

His vote blocked the treaty.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

One time wasn’t enough for Future and Metro Boomin as the Atlanta rapper-producer duo are ready to spin the block again later this month. —Michael Saponara, Billboard, 4 Apr. 2024

Since then, new hotels, resorts, businesses and restaurants have been built on blocks of deserted empty lots near the ocean, becoming a lively community of residents and visitors. —Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2024

The first self-winding wristwatch made by Patek Philippe is going on the block at Sotheby’s in Hong Kong on April 7. —Victoria Gomelsky, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2024

He wasn't allowed to walk the three blocks to school by himself; his mother drove him. —Kayla Dwyer, The Indianapolis Star, 3 Apr. 2024

Inspectors found a total of 30 blocks of cheese being stored at incorrect holding temperatures, while soaps were stored above cans of chicken broth on a shelf in a rear food storage area. —Jacqueline Pinedo, Sacramento Bee, 3 Apr. 2024

The fire began shortly before 1 p.m. local time (6 a.m. ET), state media reported, at a 16-story block on Gonenoglu Street, a busy part of Istanbul’s Gayrettepe neighborhood. —Tanem Zaman and Hande Atay Alam, CNN, 2 Apr. 2024

The most recent halving event took place on May 11, 2020, resulting in a block reward of 6.25 Bitcoin. —Vinamrata Chaturvedi, Quartz, 2 Apr. 2024

Long Beach police responded along the 100 block of East Eagle Street to reports of gunfire around 4 p.m. and, down the block, found a man shot in the chest. —Rachel Uranga, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2024

Verb

Marquez didn’t have an angle but still found a way to put the ball in the net despite Diamond Hill-Jarvis’ goalkeeper blocking nearly the entire shooting lane. —Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Apr. 2024

But weather service meteorologist Barry Baxter told the Miami Herald that clouds may block the eclipse for some. —Omar Rodríguez Ortiz, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2024

From this state’s vantage point, the moon and sun won’t be exactly aligned, and only a portion of the sun’s disc is blocked, according to the Griffith Observatory. —Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2024

But the United States is again almost certain to block it. —NBC News, 4 Apr. 2024

Family Link lets parents set up screen time limits, approve or block apps and help control your child’s YouTube experience. —Larry Magid, The Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2024

Two other criminal cases stemming from Trump’s efforts to block Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory have been moving slowly through pretrial proceedings and appeals. —Perry Stein, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2024

That’s right, on Monday, April 8, the moon will block the sun’s light across Texas to Maine, revealing a few moments of near-complete darkness. —Alexandra Domrongchai, Travel + Leisure, 4 Apr. 2024

For those of us who don't remember astronomy, that means the moon will pass between the sun and the earth, completely blocking it. —Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 4 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English blok, from Middle French & Middle Dutch; Middle French bloc, from Middle Dutch blok; akin to Old High German bloh block

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing block

• big-block
• been around the block
• around the block
• block and tackle
• block in
• block letter
• block party
• block plane
• breeze-block
• new kid on the block
• knock someone's head/block off
• cock-block
• heart block
• stumbling block
• swage block
• writer's block
• block copolymer
• randomized block
• block capitals
• block out
• cinder block
• block of flats
• pillow block
• chop block
• chopping block
• block grant
• block diagram
• starting block
• building block
• butcher block
• snatch block
• throw a block
• sub-block
• on the chopping block
• tower block
• chip off the old block
• on the block

Kids Definition

block

1 of 2 noun

ˈbläk 

1

a

: a solid piece of material (as stone or wood) usually with one or more flat sides

building blocks

b

: a hollow rectangular piece of material (as of glass or concrete) used for building

cinder block

2

a

: a piece of wood on which condemned persons are beheaded

b

: a mold or support on which something is shaped or displayed

c

: the molded part that contains the cylinders of an internal-combustion engine

3

a

: obstacle

b

: the act of slowing down or stopping an opponent's play in sports

c

: interruption of normal function of bodily processes

a heart block

also : interruption especially of train of thought

a mental block

4

: a wooden or metal case for one or more pulleys

5

: a number of things forming a group or unit

a block of seats

6

: a large building divided into separate units

7

a

: a usually rectangular space enclosed by streets

b

: the length of the side of such a block

three blocks south

8

: a stand for something to be sold at auction

9

: a hand-carved piece of material from which copies are to be printed

block

2 of 2 verb

1

a

: to stop up or close off : obstruct

b

: to slow down or stop the progress of

especially : to interfere with an opponent (as in football)

c

: to shut off from view

block the sun

d

: to prevent normal functioning or action of

block a nerve with an anesthetic

2

: to mark the main lines of

block out a sketch

3

: to shape on, with, or as if with a block

4

: to make (lines of writing or type) even at the left or at both left and right

5

: to secure, support, or provide with a block

blocker noun

Medical Definition

block

1 of 2 noun

ˈbläk 

often attributive

1

: interruption of normal physiological function of a tissue or organ

respiratory block due to carbon monoxide

especially : heart block

2

a

: block anesthesia

b

: nerve block sense 1

3

: interruption of a train of thought by competing thoughts or psychological suppression

block

2 of 2 transitive verb

1

: to prevent normal functioning of (a bodily element)

block a nerve with novocaine

2

: to obstruct the effect of

a carboxyl group blocked by esterification

intransitive verb

: to experience or exhibit psychological blocking or blockage

blocker

-ər 

noun

Biographical Definition

Block

biographical name

ˈbläk 

Herbert Lawrence 1909–2001 Herblock ˈhər-ˌbläk  American editorial cartoonist