Rock

n. [Fr. roc, roche, Pr. & Pg. roca, rocha, Sp. roca, It. rocca, roccia, Lat. as if rupica, from rupes, a rock.]

1Sense 1. A large mass of stony material; the solid material of the earth's crust.

Come one, come all; this rock shall fly From its firm base as soon as I. W. Scott.

2Sense 2. (Geol.) Any natural deposit of stony material, whether consolidated or not, thus including sand, earth, or clay, when in natural beds. Dana.

3Sense 3. That which resembles a rock in firmness; a defense; a support; a refuge.

The Lord is my rock, and my fortress. 2 Sam. xxii. 2.

4Sense 4. Hence, that by which any disaster is caused in a manner like that in which a ship is wrecked by running upon a rock.

☞ This word is not unfrequently used in the formation of self-explaining compounds; as, rock-bound, rock-built, rock-crowned, rock-hearted, rock-ribbed, rock-roofed, rock-water, and the like.

Synonyms—ROCK, STONE.—Rock always denotes a large and heavy mass of stone. Some, however, in certain parts of our country, apply the term to a stone of any size, and speak of boys as throwing rocks at each other. A writer has truly called this a “supremely ridiculous expression.”

Ye darksome pines, that o’er yon rocks reclined, Wave high and murmur to the hollow wind. Pope.

n. [Dan. rok, Sw. rock, Icel. rockr, D. rocken, N. H. Ger. rocken, O. H. Ger. rocco, rocho, roccho, whence also It. rocca, Pg. roca, Sp. rueca.] A distaff used in spinning; the staff or frame about which flax is arranged, from which the thread is drawn in spinning.

The mother sat at fire, who had to spin A rock, whose tincture with sea-purple shined. Chapman.

v. t. [imp. & p. p. ROCKED (rŏkt); p. pr. & vb. n. ROCKING.] [Dan. rokke, to move, to shake, Icel. riúkandi, wavering, smoking, A-S. reocan, to waver, exhale, smoke, L. Ger. rucken, N. H. Ger. rücken, O. H. Ger. rukjan, to move, push, pull; O. Fr. rocquer un enfant, to rock a child. Cotgrave.]

1Sense 1. To move backward and forward as a body resting on a support beneath; as, to rock a cradle; to cause to vibrate; to cause to reel or totter.

A rising earthquake rocked the ground. Dryden.

2Sense 2. To put to sleep by rocking; hence, to still; to quiet. “Sleep rock thy brain.” Shak.

☞ Rock differs from shake, as denoting a slower and more uniform motion, or larger movements. It differs from swing, which expresses a vibratory motion of something suspended.

v. i. To be moved backward and forward; to reel; to totter.

The rocking town Supplants their footsteps. Philips.