rock
A formation of minerals, specificallyA formation of minerals, specifically: The naturally occurring aggregate of solid mineral matter that constitutes a significant part of the earth's crust.
» Don't throw rocks into the river.
Keine Steine in den Fluss werfen!
Не бросай камни в реку.
Не кидай камни в реку.
Не бросайте камни в реку.
Не бросай в реку камни.
Не бросайте в реку камни.
Не кидай каміння в річку.
Meaning
26 sensesA formation of minerals, specifically:
(uncountable)The naturally occurring aggregate of solid mineral matter that constitutes a significant part of the earth's crust.
The face of the cliff is solid rock.
Fels, Gestein
поро́да
поро́да
material consisting of the aggregate of minerals like those making up the Earth's crust
(countable, uncountable)A mass of stone projecting out of the ground or water.
The ship crashed on the rocks.
Felsen, Fels, Klippe
скала́skalá, утёсutjós
ске́ляskélja
(Ireland, UK, countable, uncountable)A boulder or large stone; or (US, Canada) a smaller stone; a pebble.
Some fool has thrown a rock through my window.
(countable, uncountable)Any natural material with a distinctive composition of minerals.
Gestein
поро́даporóda
поро́даporóda
(colloquial, countable, uncountable)A precious stone or gem, especially a diamond.
Look at the size of that rock on her finger!
(countable, uncountable)A large hill or island having no vegetation.
The captain named it Pearl Rock after the rising sun illuminated the surface of the island.
Klippe, Felsen, Schäre
скала́skalá, утёсutjós
(countable, figuratively, uncountable)Something that is strong, stable, and dependable; a person who provides security or support to another.
1991, Robert Harling and Andrew Bergman, Soapdish, Paramount Pictures, Celeste Talbert: She is my rock, my right hand.
Fels, Fels in der Brandung
опо́раopóra, фундаме́нтfundamént
(figurative) someone who is strong and stable and dependable
(countable, uncountable)A lump or cube of ice.
I'll have a whisky on the rocks, please.
со льдомso lʹdom
(UK, uncountable)A type of confectionery made from sugar in the shape of a stick, traditionally having some text running through its length.
While we're in Brighton, let's get a stick of rock!
Kandiszucker, Zuckerstange
ледене́цledenéc, караме́льkaramélʹ
(US, countable, slang, uncountable)A crystallized lump of crack cocaine.
крэкkrɛk
(US, countable, slang, uncountable)An unintelligent person, especially one who repeats mistakes.
тупи́цаtupíca, би́веньbívenʹ
(South Africa, countable, derogatory, slang, uncountable)An Afrikaner.
Examples
1135 sentencesDon't throw rocks into the river.
Не кидай каміння в річку.
ruНе бросай камни в реку.
deKeine Steine in den Fluss werfen!
Tom threw a rock at me.
Том кинув у мене камінь.
ruТом кинул в меня камень.
Tom sat alone on a rock.
Том сидів на камені сам.
deTom saß allein auf einem Stein.
He is known as a rock singer.
Він відомий як рок-співак.
ruОн известен как рок-певец.
deMan kennt ihn als Rocksänger.
He hit his head against a rock.
Він ударився головою об скелю.
Translations
9 languagesBy meaning 5
By meaning 11
By meaning 8
Origin
Inherited from Middle English rocke, rokke (“rock formation”), from Old English *rocc (“roInherited from Middle English rocke, rokke (“rock formation”), from Old English *rocc (“rock”), as in Old English stānrocc (“high stone rock, peak, obelisk”), and also later from Anglo-Norman roque, (compare Modern French roc, roche, rocher), from Medieval Latin rocca (attested 767), of uncertain origin, sometimes said to be of Celtic (in particular, perhaps Gaulish) origin (compare Breton roc'h). Related also to Middle Low German rocke (“rock ledge”). One suggestion is that it derives from Vulgar Latin *rupica, from rupes (compare rupico).
Inherited from Middle English rokken, from Old English roccian, from Proto-West Germanic *rokkōn, from Proto-Germanic *rukkōną, from Proto-Indo-European *h₃ruknéh₂ti, from *h₃rewk-, *h₃runk-.
Shortened from rock and roll. Since the meaning of rock has adapted to mean a simpler, more modern, metal-like genre, rock and roll has generally been left referring to earlier forms such as that originating in the 1950s, notably more swing-oriented style.
From Middle English rok, rocke, rokke, perhaps from Middle Dutch rocke (whence Dutch rokken), Middle Low German rocken, or Old Norse rokkr (whence Icelandic / Faroese rokkur, Danish rok, Swedish spinnrock (“spinning wheel”)). Cognate with Old High German rocko (“distaff”).
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
plural: rocksSynonyms
25 synonyms- pitching dangerously to one side:careenswaytilt
- a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter:stone
- United States gynecologist and devout Catholic who conducted the first clinical trials of the oral contraceptive pill (1890-1984):John Rock
- material consisting of the aggregate of minerals like those making up the Earth's crust:stone
- hard bright-colored stick candy (typically flavored with peppermint):rock candy
- a genre of popular music originating in the 1950s; a blend of black rhythm-and-blues with white country-and-western:rock 'n' rollrock'n'rollrock-and-rollrock and rollrock music
Word family
221 related wordsLessons for this word
1 lessons- A1Countable and uncountable nouns — Because it can be uncountable
Collocations
12 patterns- throw rocks at
- throwing rocks
- punk rock
- like punk rock
- threw a rock
- rock and roll
- rock climbing
- his rocking chair
- was throwing rocks
- a rock at
- rocking chair
- a rock and