rock

plural rocks

1. A formation of minerals, specifically:
   1. uncountableThe 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.

      2 more examples

      Floods in northern India, mostly in the small state of Uttarakhand, have wrought disaster on an enormous scale.[…]Rock-filled torrents smashed vehicles and homes, burying victims under rubble and sludge.

      2013 June 29, “High and wet”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8842, archived from the original on 01 Nov 2020, page 28

      This park’s strange and beautiful rock formations were formed by the Yellowstone River and various streams that have cut through the rock over millions of years, carving out hoodoos, spires and caprocks. The name Makoshika comes from a Lakota word for badlands.

      2018 July 17, Autumn Spanne, “Check out these crazy rock formations across the United States”, in CNN

      Synonyms: stone

   2. countableuncountableA mass of stone projecting out of the ground or water.

      The ship crashed on the rocks.

      1 more example

      This enormous, 1.7 million acre property offers hikes to spectacular formations like Metate Arch in Devil’s Garden and the Wahweap Hoodoos, slender, ghostly rocks that can reach several stories high.

      2018 July 17, Autumn Spanne, “Check out these crazy rock formations across the United States”, in CNN

      Synonyms: cliff

   3. IrelandUKcountableuncountableA boulder or large stone; or (US, Canada) a smaller stone; a pebble.

      Some fool has thrown a rock through my window.

      Synonyms: boulder, pebble, stone

   4. countableuncountablegeographyAny natural material with a distinctive composition of minerals.
   5. colloquialcountableuncountableA precious stone or gem, especially a diamond.

      Look at the size of that rock on her finger!

      3 more examples

      I call all the shots, rip all the spots / Rock all the rocks, cop all the drops

      1997, “Mo Money Mo Problems”, in Life After Death, performed by The Notorious B.I.G. ft. Ma$e and Diddy

      Here she is, a billionaire’s wife, yet gripped by constant social anxiety, forever agonising that she’d worn her best rocks to an event that actually called for “patio jewellery” (necklaces $1m or under).

      2025 June 27, Marina Hyde, “Anna Wintour has spent decades dictating a certain look for the super-rich. Then along came Lauren”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

      In an Instagram post on Monday, Georgina Rodríguez, the longtime girlfriend of the soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, shared a photo of a gigantic rock on her ring finger.

      2025 August 12, Sadiba Hasan, “Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez Are Engaged. All Eyes Are on the Ring.”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 12 Aug 2025

      Synonyms: gem, diamond

2. countableuncountableA large hill or island having no vegetation.

   The captain named it Pearl Rock after the rising sun illuminated the surface of the island.

3. countablefigurativelyuncountableSomething 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.

   2 more examples

   And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 16:18

   Being the best husband I can to my fantastic wife, Vic, who has been a rock by my side, through good times and bad.

   2026 June 22, Keir Starmer, resignation speech

   Synonyms: foundation, support

4. countableuncountableA lump or cube of ice.

   I'll have a whisky on the rocks, please.

   Synonyms: ice, ice cube

5. UKuncountableA 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!

   2 more examples

   With my little stick of Blackpool rock/Along the promenade I stroll.

   1937 January 24, “With My Little Stick of Blackpool Rock”performed by George Formby

   Most Kenyans blithely assumed that if the British high commissioner said something, it represented British policy, a thought-through position running from one end of government to the other, like the lettering in a stick of Brighton rock.

   2009, Michela Wrong, It’s Our Turn to Eat: The Story of a Kenyan Whistle Blower

6. UScountableslanguncountableA crystallized lump of crack cocaine.

   I ain't guilty, ‘cause even though I sell rocks / It feels good puttin' money in your mailbox

   1995, “Dear Mama”, in Me Against the World, performed by 2Pac

   1 more example

   When I necked five-quid bottles of vodka, I did not read the label. When I scored rocks and bags off tumbleweed hobos blowing through the no-man's-land of Hackney estates, I conducted no litmus test.

   2014, Russell Brand, “Prologue”, in Revolution, →ISBN, page xiii

   Synonyms: crack rock, candy, crack

7. UScountableslanguncountableAn unintelligent person, especially one who repeats mistakes.
8. South AfricacountablederogatoryslanguncountableAn Afrikaner.
9. UScountableslanguncountablecard gamesAn extremely conservative player who is willing to play only the very strongest hands.
10. Any of several fish:
    1. countableuncountableThe striped bass.
    2. countableuncountableThe huss or rock salmon.

       We ordered rock and chips to take away.

11. UScountableslanguncountableball gamesA basketball.

    Yo homie, pass the rock!

    1 more example

    It [the original Space Jam limped to 88 minutes with detours into Jordan’s swanky mansion and forced its cartoon cavalry to compete for screen time against Wayne Knight and a bunch of basketball players who delivered their lines much less confidently than they put the rock through the net.

    2021 July 14, A. A. Dowd, “Space Jam: A New Legacy is one big, witless commercial for Warner Bros. properties”, in The A.V. Club

12. UScountableslanguncountableball gamesA mistake.

    Now, you should never make the last out of an inning at third, and when a player does it, everyone knows he pulled a rock.

    2014, Joe Morgan, Richard Lally, Baseball For Dummies, page 227

13. countableuncountableball gamesSynonym of stone.

    Synonyms: stone

14. countableuncountablegamesA closed hand (a handshape resembling a rock), that beats scissors and loses to paper. It beats lizard and loses to Spock in rock-paper-scissors-lizard-Spock.
15. countableinformaluncountableball gamesA cricket ball, especially a new one that has not been softened by use
16. countableuncountableCB radio slangA crystal used to control the radio frequency.

    It was easily possible to double the cost of a CB rig just by adding all of the "rocks" necessary to do the job.

    1980, Joseph J. Carr, The Complete Handbook of Radio Receivers, page 199

17. countableuncountablegolfA cheap golf ball.

present singular third person rocks · participle present rocking · participle past rocked · past rocked

1. transitiveTo pelt with rocks; to stone.

   Do you chaps mean to say you didn't make Rabbits-Eggs drunk and bribe him to rock King's rooms?

   1908, Rudyard Kipling, Stalky & Co.

present singular third person rocks · participle present rocking · participle past rocked · past rocked

1. intransitivetransitiveTo move gently back and forth.

   Rock the baby to sleep.

   2 more examples

   The empty swing rocked back and forth in the wind.

   To Edward […] he was terrible, nerve-inflaming, poisonously asphyxiating. He sat rocking himself in the late Mr. Churchill's swing chair, smoking and twaddling.

   1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC

   1. intransitivetransitiveTo sway one's body as a stim.

      Tends to tap fingers on desk or spin ring on finger, especially when stressed. Sucks thumb in private. Loves to rock.

      2019 May 4, C. L. Lynch, “"Autism is a Spectrum" Doesn’t Mean What You Think”, in NeuroClastic

2. transitiveTo cause to shake or sway violently.

   Don't rock the boat.

   2 more examples

   A rising earthquake rocked the ground.

   1700, [John] Dryden, “Theodore and Honoria, from Boccace”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC

   The lights of Luluabourg disappeared, and we were in the blackness of the African night, which was continuously pierced by the showers of red sparks ejected skywards and red hot ashes deposited on the track as the fireman rocked his fire.

   1958 February 28, Arthur F. Beckenham, “A Journey in the Belgian Congo”, in Railway Magazine, page 93

   Synonyms: agitate, trouble

3. intransitiveTo sway or tilt violently back and forth.

   The boat rocked at anchor.

4. intransitivetransitiveTo be washed and panned in a cradle or in a rocker.

   The ores had been rocked and laid out for inspection.

5. transitiveTo disturb the emotional equilibrium of; to distress; to greatly impact.

   She rocked my world.

   1 more example

   Downing Street has been rocked by yet another sex scandal.

6. intransitiveTo do well or to be operating at high efficiency.

   The Blues' challenge had been rocking at that point, with Terry's centre-back partner Gary Cahill lost to injury and Barca having just levelled the tie through Busquets's neat, close-range finish from Isaac Cuenca's pull-back.

   2012 April 24, Phil Dawkes, “Barcelona 2-2 Chelsea”, in BBC Sport

   Synonyms: cook with gas, flourish

7. intransitiveslangTo be very favourable or skilful; excel; be fantastic.

   Chocolate rocks.

   1 more example

   My holidays in Ibiza rocked! I can't wait to go back.

   Synonyms: bang, rule, bang, devour, eat, eat and leave no crumbs, excel, go hard · Antonyms: stink, suck

8. ambitransitiveeuphemisticslangTo make love to or have sex (with).

   I wanna rock!

   5 more examples

   Cum on feel the noize, girls, rock your boys.

   1973, Noddy Holder, Jim Lea, “Cum On Feel the Noize”, performed by Slade

   Rock me gently, rock me slowly, take it easy, don't you know, that I have never been loved like this before.

   1974, Andy Kim, “Rock Me Gently”

   Open up your heart / And let the loving start / Oh, woman, take me in your arms / Rock your baby.

   1974, Harry Wayne Casey, Richard Finch, “Rock Your Baby”, performed by George McCrae

   I just wanna rock you, all night long.

   1980, Jonah Ellis, Alisa Peoples, Cavin Yarbrough, “Don't Stop the Music”, in The Two of Us, performed by Yarbrough and Peoples

   Try me out, and if you get excited Take me home, I'd love to be invited Once we're there, I'm sure you'll be delighted We could rock all night

   1999, Harry Connick Jr., “Come By Me”

   Synonyms: go to bed with

plural rocks

1. An act of rocking; a rocking motion; a sway.

1. uncountableentertainmentA style of music characterized by basic drum-beat, generally 4/4 riffs, based on (usually electric) guitar, bass guitar, drums, keyboards (often), and vocals.

present singular third person rocks · participle present rocking · participle past rocked · past rocked

1. intransitiveTo play, perform, or enjoy rock music, especially with a lot of skill or energy.

   Let's rock!

   1 more example

   I wanna rock! (Rock!) / I wanna rock! (Rock!) / I want to rock! (Rock!) / I wanna rock! (Rock!)

   1984, Dee Snider, “I Wanna Rock”, in Stay Hungry, performed by Twisted Sister

2. transitiveTo thrill or excite, especially with rock music.

   Let's rock this joint!

3. intransitiveTo have people dancing and enjoying rock music.

   The scene was rocking, all were digging the sounds Igor on chains, backed by his baying hounds The coffin-bangers were about to arrive With their vocal group, The Crypt-Kicker Five.

   1962, “Monster Mash”, Bobby "Boris" Pickett and Lenny Capizzi (lyrics), performed by Bobby (Boris) Pickett and The Crypt-Kickers

4. transitiveTo do something with excitement yet skillfully.

   I need to rock a piss.

5. transitiveTo wear (a piece of clothing, outfit etc.) successfully or with style; to carry off (a particular look, style).

   I call all the shots, rip all the spots / Rock all the rocks, cop all the drops

   1997, “Mo Money Mo Problems”, in Life After Death, performed by The Notorious B.I.G. ft. Ma$e and Diddy

   2 more examples

   Take today, where she's rocking that well-known fashion combo – a Tory Burch outfit offset with a whacking great bruise attained by smacking her head on a plane's overhead lockers.

   2011 April 29, Tim Jonze, “Nerdy but nice”, in The Guardian

   Rihanna was the pick of the best bunch, rocking a black backless crocodile dress from Tom Ford’s Autumn 2012 collection

   2012 May 8, “Rhianna dazzles at the Met Gala”, in The Sun newspaper

   Synonyms: sport

plural rocks

1. countableDistaff.

   Sad Clotho held the rocke, the whiles the thread / By grisly Lachesis was spun with pain, / That cruel Atropos eftsoon undid.

   1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book IV, Canto II”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 48

   3 more examples

   By order of the General Court in 1642, the "prudentiall" men of each town were instructed "to take care of such [children] as are sett to keep cattle be set to some other employment withal, as spinning upon the rock, knitting, weaving tape, etc., and that boys and girls be not suffered to converse together so as may occasion any wanton, dishonest or immodest behavior.

   1899, T Frank Waters, The Development of Our Town Government

   A prepared end of yarn being fixed into the notch, the spinster, by a smart rolling motion of the spindle with the right hand against the right leg, threw it out from her, spinning in the air, while, with the left hand, she drew from the rock an additional supply of fibre which was formed into a uniform and equal strand with the right.

   1902, Day Otis Kellogg, Thomas Spencer Baynes, William Robertson Smith, The Encyclopaedia Britannica, page 664

   It is true that in Ireland, even in recent years, the flax, before being placed on the rock or distaff, was tangled into a mass, or, as Cormmelin expresses it, “drawn out in a flat cake.”

   1920, John Horner, The Linen Trade of Europe During the Spinning-wheel Period, page 32

2. uncountableThe flax or wool on a distaff.

plural rocks

1. archaicArchaic form of roc (mythical bird).

1. A topographic surname from Middle English for someone living near a rock or an oak ( atter + oke ).

   Jada Pinkett Smith found herself at the center of conflict when her husband Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock at the Oscars ceremony March 27. Rock joked about Pinkett Smith’s shaved head – a look she has said is more than a style preference.

   2022 June 1, Kristen Rogers, “What causes alopecia, a ‘devastating’ hair loss condition affecting Jada Pinkett Smith”, in CNN

2. A male given name transferred from the surname.
3. A number of places in England:
   1. A coastal village in St Minver Lowlands parish, north Cornwall (OS grid ref SW9375).
   2. A hamlet in Membury parish, East Devon district, Devon (OS grid ref ST2702).
   3. A village in Rennington parish, northern Northumberland (OS grid ref NU2020).
   4. A hamlet in Curry Mallet parish, South Somerset district and North Curry parish, Somerset West and Taunton district, Somerset (OS grid ref ST3222).
   5. A hamlet in Washington parish, Horsham district, West Sussex (OS grid ref TQ1214).
   6. A village and civil parish in Wyre Forest district, Worcestershire (OS grid ref SO7371).
4. A place in Wales:
   1. A hamlet in Blackwood community, Caerphilly borough county borough (OS grid ref ST1898).
   2. A hamlet north-east of Cwmavon, Neath Port Talbot borough county borough (OS grid ref SS7993).
5. The Rock, a village south-west of Cookstown, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.
6. A number of places in the United States:
   1. An unincorporated community in Cowley County, Kansas.
   2. An unincorporated community in Maple Ridge Township, Delta County, Michigan.
   3. An unincorporated community in Mercer County, West Virginia.
   4. A town in Rock County, Wisconsin.
   5. A town in Wood County, Wisconsin.
   6. A number of townships in the United States, listed under Rock Township.
7. the Rock
   1. preceded by "the" or "The"Nickname of Gibraltar.
   2. Australiapreceded by "the" or "The"Nickname of Uluru.
   3. preceded by "the" or "The"Nickname of the prison on Alcatraz Island, USA.
   4. Canadapreceded by "the" or "The"Nickname of the island of Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.