roach

plural roaches

1. Certain members of the fish family Cyprinidae, including:
   1. Any fish of species in the genus Rutilus, especially
   2. A common roach (Rutilus rutilus).
   3. Any member of the genus Hesperoleucus of California roaches.

plural roaches

1. USSynonym of cockroach (“type of insect”).

   Synonyms: cockroach

2. derogatoryslangSynonym of cockroach (“as a term of abuse”).

   Synonyms: cockroach

3. USslanglifestyleThe butt of a marijuana cigarette.
4. USslanglifestyleAn entire marijuana cigarette, blunt, or joint.

   In his half hour of free time between brooms it was Willie's custom to smoke his lunch in an alleyway. He'd take just half a roach, only enough to make him feel a new day was starting, no more no less.

   1957, Alfred Maund, The Big Boxcar, Urbana: University of Illinois Press, →ISBN, page 106

5. UKslanglifestyleThe filter of a rolled cigarette or joint, made from card or paper (often of the cigarette paper packet itself).

   Last toke is the yellowing fabric of the roach, containing the stuff that is less than tobacco.

   2000, Zadie Smith, White Teeth, London: Penguin Books, published 2001, →ISBN, page 292

present singular third person roaches · participle present roaching · participle past roached · past roached

1. Synonym of roach out.

   Yamato roached on his best friend.

   2025 February 7, Bravado, Blizzard Forums

   1 more example

   I stand by it being a horrible call, but Yamdef getting called out for roaching, there’s definitely some irony going on there.

   2025 February 7, Skunkyboy, Blizzard Forums

   Synonyms: roach out

plural roaches

1. nauticalSail material that forms a concave curve rather than straight leech (aft edge) of a sail to increase the sail area over that of a simple triangular sail.
2. A haircut or a similar-looking kind of headdress worn by some of the indigenous peoples of North America, often red.

present singular third person roaches · participle present roaching · participle past roached · past roached

1. transitiveTo cut or shave off the mane of a horse so that the remaining hair stands up on the neck.
2. broadlytransitiveTo cut a person's hair so that it stands straight up.

plural roaches

1. UKobsoletebusinessA bed or stratum of some mineral.

   After long Working of this Coal, it was found upon the rising Grounds, that there lay another Roach of Coal, at the Depth of 14 Yards under it

   1749, Rog. Mostyn, “Mineralogy”, in Philosophical Transactions and Collections to the End of the Year, volume II, London: Royal Society, →OCLC, page 379

2. UKregionalGritty or coarse rock; especially Portland stone or similar limestone.

   The roach, both of the top and bottom beds, is always imperceptibly incorporated with the freestone, which is invariable situated beneath it.

   1841, C.H. Smith, “Lithology; or Observations on Stone for Building”, in The Surveyor, Engineer, and Architect, →OCLC, page 13

plural Roachs · plural Roaches

1. A surname.
   1. countableuncountableA surname from Anglo-Norman
   2. countableuncountableA surname from placenames
2. A placename
   1. countableuncountableA river in Essex, England, which is a stream before becoming a tidal river and joining the River Crouch; in full, the River Roach.
   2. alternativecountableuncountableAlternative spelling of Roch, the River Roch or Roach, A river in Greater Manchester, England. Roach appears to be mainly an older spelling.

      A Bacup to Manchester Victoria via Heywood diesel multiple-unit crossing the River Roach at Heap Bridge, Bury on November 4, 1960.

      1964 October, “North-Western Line Multiple-Unit Services”, in Modern Railways, page 252, photo caption

   3. countableuncountableA short river in Piscataquis County, Maine, which flows into Moosehead Lake.
   4. countableuncountableA short river in Virginia, a tributary of the Rivanna River.
   5. countableuncountableAn unincorporated community in Camden County, Missouri.
   6. countableuncountableA ghost town in Clark County, Nevada.
   7. countableuncountableAn unincorporated community in Cabell County, West Virginia.