rock

/rɔk/

Friendly

The word "rock" has several meanings and uses in English. Let's break it down in a simple way.

Basic Definition:

1. Noun (Physical Object): A "rock" is a solid piece of material made up of minerals. For example, when you go to the beach, you might see many rocks on the shore.

   • Example: "He picked up a rock from the ground."

2. Noun (Music Genre): "Rock" also refers to a type of popular music that started in the 1950s. It combines elements of rhythm-and-blues and country music.

   • Example: "She loves listening to rock music, especially from the 80s."

3. Noun (A Dependable Person): Figuratively, when someone is called a "rock," it means they are strong and dependable, especially during difficult times.

   • Example: "During her tough times, her friend was her rock."

Advanced Usage:

• Noun (Idiom): "On this rock" can refer to something stable or foundational, as in the expression "upon this rock, I will build my church," meaning building on a strong foundation.

• Noun (Candy): In some places, "rock" refers to a type of hard, bright-colored candy, often flavored with peppermint.

  • Example: "The children enjoyed eating rock candy at the fair."

Variants:

• Verb: To "rock" means to move something back and forth or side to side. For example, "She rocked the baby to sleep."
  • Example: "The boat began to rock when the waves got stronger."

Different Meanings:

• As a verb, it can also describe the action of swaying or moving gently.
  • Example: "The tall building swayed during the earthquake."

Synonyms:

• For the physical object "rock": stone, boulder, pebble.
• For the genre of music: rock 'n' roll, pop rock, hard rock.
• For a dependable person: support, strength, pillar.

Idioms:

• "Between a rock and a hard place" means being in a difficult situation with no easy choices.
• "Rock the boat" means to disturb a stable situation.

Phrasal Verbs:

• Rock out: To enjoy music or dancing a lot, often used when talking about loud music.
  • Example: "We rocked out at the concert last night."

Summary:

"Rock" can refer to a solid object, a popular type of music, or a dependable person. It can also mean to move back and forth.

Academic

Noun

1. pitching dangerously to one side
2. a genre of popular music originating in the 1950s; a blend of black rhythm-and-blues with white country-and-western
   • rock is a generic term for the range of styles that evolved out of rock'n'roll.
3. hard bright-colored stick candy (typically flavored with peppermint)
4. (figurative) someone who is strong and stable and dependable
   • he was her rock during the crisis
   • Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church--Gospel According to Matthew
5. United States gynecologist and devout Catholic who conducted the first clinical trials of the oral contraceptive pill (1890-1984)
6. material consisting of the aggregate of minerals like those making up the Earth's crust
   • that mountain is solid rock
   • stone is abundant in New England and there are many quarries
7. a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
   • he threw a rock at me

Verb

1. cause to move back and forth
   • rock the cradle
   • rock the baby
   • the wind swayed the trees gently
2. move back and forth or sideways
   • the ship was rocking
   • the tall building swayed
   • She rocked back and forth on her feet

Synonyms

• careen
• sway
• tilt
• rock 'n' roll
• rock'n'roll
• rock-and-roll
• rock and roll
• rock music
• rock candy
• Rock
• John Rock
• stone
• shake