I. ˈräk verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English rokken, from Old English roccian; akin to Old High German rucken to cause to move, shift, Old Norse rykkja to jerk
transitive verb
1.
a. : to move (as a child) back and forth in or as if in a cradle
b. : to bring into or maintain in a state of rest, sleep, or serenity by gentle motion to and fro
rocking the child on her breast
c. : to wash (placer gravel) in a cradle
d. : to prepare the surface of (a mezzotint plate) by the use of a cradle
2.
a. : to cause (as a cradle) to sway gently backward and forward
a warning sea bell rocked by rising waves — J.C.Powys
the languid spring breeze rocked the little green bombshells of maple sprays — New Republic
b.
(1) : to cause to shake violently
when artillery maneuvers are held … the quiet countryside is shattered and rocked by the roaring thunder of the big guns — American Guide Series: Vermont
she began to cry, great sobs that rocked her — Robert Lowry
(2) : to daze with a vigorous blow
three smashing right crosses that rocked him — Nat Fleischer
(3) : to astonish or disturb especially by upsetting cherished opinions or customary ways of life
rocking the solid beliefs they had never dreamed of questioning — Virginia D. Dawson & Betty D. Wilson
the news of the coming degree had rocked the household with surprise — Agnes S. Turnbull
c.
(1) : to dislodge (something stuck or wedged) by rhythmic back and forth movement
set up on your towline and we'll rock her out of here — K.M.Dodson
(2) : to move clumsily first from one side and then from the other
rocked his shoulders up the stairs — Scott Fitzgerald
rocked the box across the platform
(3) : to move (airplane wings) up and down usually as a signal
rocked my wings to let the landing signal officer know that I needed to land at once — D.A.Bryla
d. : to move (a vehicle or animal) at a steady fairly rapid pace
rocking my mule right along but riding him as easy as I could — Jackson Burgess
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to move violently backward and forward under impact : reel , totter
the tower rocked under the impact of the hurricane
b.
(1) : to move gently and rhythmically back and forth
rocking on the balls of his feet — Richard Llewellyn
the speedometer was rocking between sixty and sixty-five — Charley Robertson
a low, steady breeze drove the little waves rocking to the shore — John Burroughs
(2) : to sit and move back and forth in a rocking chair
rocked all day on her veranda — Laura Krey
c. : to sway gently under outside impact
boats rocking on the yellow river — W.G.Hardy
2.
a. : to react with intense emotion
the continent rocked with surprise — Woman
the audience was rocking with laughter — H.J.Laski
b. : to seem to sway as if in response to human illness or emotion
felt a blow against the back of his head, saw the walls of the house rocking in sick blackness, and slid out on the hot steps — Josephine Johnson
the room with its portions of shells rocked more frequently with laughter than with explosives — New York Times Book Review
3.
a. : to move forward at a steady rhythmic pace
the chuffing doubleheaders of the narrow-gage rocked cautiously along the tracks — Helen Rich
b. : to move forward at high speeds
rocked around town at furious speeds — R.L.Taylor
4. : to sing, play music, or dance in a quick lively tempo
Synonyms: see shake
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- rock the boat
II. noun
( -s )
: a rocking movement ; specifically : a change of balance in a step dance from one foot to the other with feet crossed
III. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English roc, rokke, from Middle Dutch rocke; akin to Old High German rocko distaff, Old Norse rokkr distaff, Old High German roc coat — more at frock
1. : distaff ; especially : one with wool or flax on it
2. : the wool or flax on a distaff
IV. noun
( -s )
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English rokke, from Old North French roque, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin rocca, probably of non-Indo-European origin
1.
a. : a usually bare cliff, promontory, peak, or hill that is one mass
the rock of Gibraltar
b. : a mass of stone lying at or near the surface of the water
scattered rocks with 3 3/4-6 fathoms … of water over them — U.S. Coast Pilot: West Indies
a reef, with four rocks showing above water — U.S. Coast Pilot: West Indies
c. : a barren islet
d. : a jagged rocky coastline especially when a source of danger to shipping — often used in plural
the schooner was driven onto the rocks
2.
a. : extremely hard dense stone
hewn out of adamant rock — Edmund Spenser
b.
(1) : a large concreted mass of stony material : a large fixed stone
(2) : stony material broken from such a mass
c.
(1) : consolidated or unconsolidated solid mineral matter composed of one or usually two or more minerals or partly of organic origin (as coal) that occurs naturally in large quantities or forms a considerable part of the earth's crust
granite, sand, gravel, clay, and glacial ice are rocks
(2) : a particular mass or kind of such material within the earth's surface
(3) : an often jagged fragment of rock ranging in size from a boulder to a pebble
chunkin' rocks at my granddaddy — Stetson Kennedy
(4) : ore as mined ; especially : Lake Superior copper ore
3.
a.
(1) : something that resembles a rock in firmness : foundation , support
the concept of a law that is independent of any sovereign, which cannot be repealed … is the rock on which our society rests — Herbert Agar
(2) : something that serves as a defense or refuge
the Lord is my rock , and my fortress — 2 Sam 22:2 (Revised Standard Version)
(3) : something that threatens or causes a disaster or wreck — often used in plural
the university, so near the rocks in preceding years, had become one of the best-rounded educational institutions in the country — Current Biography
our political parties must never flounder on the rocks of moral equivocation — A.E.Stevenson †1965
b. : a small island that is a place of confinement or of dangerous or monotonous duty
three divisions of Marines … on the hottest rock of them all — L.M.Uris
4. : striped bass a
5.
a.
(1) : a hard stick candy with color running through and variously flavored (as with peppermint, clove, or anise)
(2) : rock candy 1
b. or rock cake : a cookie that is made of firm dough dropped from a spoon to a cookie sheet and that when baked retains an uneven form and contour
6.
a. : a piece of money ; especially : a dollar bill
b. rocks plural : money
a pocket full of rocks
7. : plymouth rock
8. slang
a. : gem
b. : diamond
9. : a mass consisting of lime soap obtained in a process for saponifying fats by heating them with lime and water under pressure
10. : a stupid mistake : boner
pulled a rock … in right field — Casey Stengel
11. : rock 'n' roll
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- of the old rock
- on the rocks
V. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
: to throw stones at
VI. noun
1. : a small crystallized mass of crack cocaine
2. also rock cocaine : crack herein
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- between a rock and a hard place