noun

rock

rok

noun

A hard natural mineral material, or a piece of it such as a stone or boulder.

"They climbed over the rocks to reach the tide pools."

"A rock came loose and tumbled down the cliff face."

A style of popular music with a strong beat, driven by electric guitar, bass, and drums.

"He grew up listening to classic rock from the seventies."

Someone or something that provides steady support and stability.

"Her mother was her rock throughout the divorce."

verb

To move gently backward and forward, or to cause something to do so.

"She rocked the baby to sleep in her arms."

"The boat rocked gently on the calm water."

To shake something violently, or to shock and disturb people deeply.

"An earthquake rocked the city early this morning."

"The scandal rocked the entire company."

(informal) To be excellent, or to wear or perform something with great confidence and style.

"That new song really rocks."

"She totally rocked that red dress at the party."

How to Use Rock

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA stone or mineral mass; also a genre of music, a source of stability, or (informally) to be great or to sway back and forth.

Common mistake

Don't confuse the informal sense "that rocks" (it's excellent) with the literal sense of stone.

Common pairings

solid as a rock rock music rock the boat rock climbing

rocked past tense, rocked past tense, rocked past tense, rocks plural, rocks plural, rocks plural, rocks singular, rocks singular, rocks singular

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They climbed over the _____ to reach the tide pools.

From Old English and Anglo-Norman words for stone, ultimately from Medieval Latin rocca, of uncertain, possibly Celtic origin.

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natural mineral aggregate bedrock hit sleep with waver judder love know have attack service hesitate