Rock - English meaning

noun

A heavy object attached to a cable or chain and used to moor a ship to the sea bottom, typically having a metal shank with a pair of curved, barbed flukes at one end.

Usage examples:

The boat, no longer held fast by its anchor, swung wildly

verb

Moor (a ship) to the sea bottom with an anchor.

Usage examples:

The ship was anchored in the lee of the island

noun

A heavy metal object attached to a boat by a rope or chain that, when dropped into the water and resting on the bottom, keeps the boat from moving

Usage examples:

We dropped the anchor and took out our fishing rods., she’s looking for a spiritual anchor., the ma…

noun

The series of vertebrae extending from the skull to the pelvis; the spine.

Usage examples:

Prickles of sweat broke out along her backbone

noun

Your spine

Usage examples:

Newcomers are now the backbone of this team., the delegates had enough backbone to reject the propo…

noun

The most important part of something

Usage examples:

Small businesses are truly the backbone of the economy., imaginative ideas may form the backbone of…

noun

A defensive wall.

Usage examples:

After landing virtually unopposed, the fifth corps moved toward the san juan heights, the principal…

noun

Something that protects you from dangerous or unpleasant situations

Usage examples:

My savings were to be a bulwark against unemployment.

noun

An important quality or feature on which a particular thing depends or is based.

Usage examples:

A national minimum wage remained the cornerstone of policy

noun

A large stone near the base of a building where two walls meet, often giving information about the building and sometimes put in position with a ceremony

Usage examples:

A large group of officials attended a cornerstone laying at that new plant., funds for the school s…

noun

A stone in a corner of a building, especially one with the date when the building was made or other writing on it

noun

The lowest load-bearing part of a building, typically below ground level.

Usage examples:

Foundations were being dug for a block of flats

noun

The base that is built below the surface of the ground to support a building

Usage examples:

A concrete foundation, fig. the two leaders have laid the foundations of a new era of cooperation b…

noun

An organization that has been started in order to provide money for a particular group of people or for a particular type of research

Usage examples:

He gave £1m to set up a charitable foundation to help vulnerable young people., he helped lead the …

noun

A number of connected items or names written or printed consecutively, typically one below the other.

Usage examples:

Consult the list of drugs on page 326

verb

Make a list of.

Usage examples:

I have listed four reasons below

noun

An instance of a ship listing to one side.

Usage examples:

The gallery walls are lined with marine ply, angled to give an echo of the list of a ship under sail.

verb

Make an abrupt, unsteady, uncontrolled movement or series of movements; stagger.

Usage examples:

The car lurched forward

noun

An abrupt uncontrolled movement, especially an unsteady tilt or roll.

Usage examples:

The boat gave a violent lurch and he missed his footing

verb

Move suddenly or as if unable to control one's movements

noun

A person or thing on which something else is based or depends.

Usage examples:

Farming is the mainstay of the rural economy

noun

The most important part of something, providing support for everything else

Usage examples:

In the early 1900s, farming was the mainstay of the national economy.

noun

The most important part of something, providing support for everything else

Usage examples:

The mainstay of sth antibiotic therapy is the mainstay of treatment for many infections., cattle fa…

verb

Move or swing back and forth in a regular rhythm.

Usage examples:

The grain pan near the front of the combine oscillates back and forth

verb

To move repeatedly from side to side or up and down between two points, or to vary between two states or amounts, or feelings or opinions

Usage examples:

She oscillates between cooperation and hostility., mealtimes strongly influence this daily oscillat…

verb

To move repeatedly from one position to another

Usage examples:

Oscillate between sth and sth the stock has spent most of the past five years oscillating between $…

idiom

Someone or something that remains strong and gives a lot of support in a difficult situation

Usage examples:

Andrea was a tower of strength to me when i was ill., although she is softly spoken and gentle, she…

noun

The quality of a sound governed by the rate of vibrations producing it; the degree of highness or lowness of a tone.

Usage examples:

Her voice rose steadily in pitch

verb

Set (one's voice or a piece of music) at a particular pitch.

Usage examples:

You've pitched the melody very high

verb

Cover, coat, or smear with pitch.

Usage examples:

He pitched the ship inside and outside

verb

Somersault.

Usage examples:

The boat pitchpoled and broke its mast

noun

A somersault.

verb

Jump or dive quickly and energetically.

Usage examples:

Our little daughters whooped as they plunged into the sea

noun

An act of jumping or diving into water.

Usage examples:

Fanatics went straight from the hot room to take a cold plunge

verb

Dash violently or with great speed or impetuosity

noun

A pole or beam used as a temporary support or to keep something in position.

Usage examples:

He looked around for a prop to pin the door open

verb

Support or keep in position.

Usage examples:

She propped her chin in the palm of her right hand

noun

A portable object other than furniture or costumes used on the set of a play or film.

Usage examples:

The exhibition features props and costumes from the show's incredible 49-year history

noun

A cylinder on which film, wire, thread, or other flexible materials can be wound.

Usage examples:

A cotton reel

verb

Wind something on to a reel by turning the reel.

Usage examples:

Sailplanes are often launched by means of a wire reeled in by a winch

verb

A winder around which flexible materials can be wound

verb

Move in a particular direction by turning over and over on an axis.

Usage examples:

The car rolled down into a ditch

noun

A cylinder formed by winding flexible material round a tube or by turning it over and over on itself without folding.

Usage examples:

A roll of carpet

verb

Move by turning over or rotating

verb

Bear all or part of the weight of; hold up.

Usage examples:

The dome was supported by a hundred white columns

noun

A thing that bears the weight of something or keeps it upright.

Usage examples:

The best support for a camera is a tripod

verb

The act of bearing the weight of or strengthening

verb

Move or cause to move slowly or rhythmically backwards and forwards or from side to side.

Usage examples:

He swayed slightly on his feet

noun

A rhythmical movement from side to side.

Usage examples:

The easy sway of her hips

verb

Move back and forth

verb

Move or cause to move back and forth or from side to side while suspended or on an axis.

Usage examples:

Her long black skirt swung about her legs

noun

A seat suspended by ropes or chains, on which someone may sit and swing back and forth.

Usage examples:

The chains that had been holding the seat of the swing up were still sticking straight out.

verb

Change direction with a swinging motion; turn

verb

Throw (something) somewhere lightly or casually.

Usage examples:

Suzy tossed her bag on to the sofa

noun

An act or instance of tossing something.

Usage examples:

A defiant toss of her head

verb

Throw with a light motion

idiom

Someone or something that remains strong and gives a lot of support in a difficult situation

Usage examples:

Andrea was a tower of strength to me when i was ill., although she is softly spoken and gentle, she…

verb

Move or go with a smooth up-and-down motion.

Usage examples:

The surface of the liquid undulated gently

adjective

(especially of a leaf) having a wavy surface or edge.

verb

To have a continuous up and down shape or movement, like waves on the sea

Usage examples:

The road undulates for five miles before a steep climb., the undulating countryside

verb

Move or cause to move unsteadily from side to side.

Usage examples:

The table wobbles where the leg is too short

noun

An unsteady movement from side to side.

Usage examples:

The handlebars developed a wobble

verb

To shake or move from side to side in a way that shows a lack of balance, or to cause something to do this

Usage examples:

[ i ] the table wobbles because its legs are uneven.