Search results
- Dictionaryblock/bläk/
noun
- 1. a large solid piece of hard material, especially rock, stone, or wood, typically with flat surfaces on each side: "a block of marble" Similar chunkhunkbrickslablumppiecebarcakecubewedgemasswadsliceinformal:wodge
- ▪ a sturdy, flat-topped block used as a work surface, typically for chopping food: "a chopping block"
- ▪ a set of sheets of paper glued along one edge, used for drawing or writing on: British "a sketching block" Similar padnotebooktabletsketchbookscratch padjotter
- ▪ any of a set of solid cubes used as a child's toy.
- ▪ a starting block: "the thrust a sprinter gets when coming out of the blocks"
- ▪ a piece of wood or metal engraved for printing on paper or fabric.
- ▪ the main body of an internal combustion engine, containing the pistons.
- ▪ a head-shaped mold used for shaping hats or wigs.
- 2. a large single building subdivided into separate rooms, apartments, or offices: British "an apartment block" Similar buildingcomplexstructuredevelopment
- ▪ a building or part of a complex used for a particular purpose: "a cell block" Similar buildingcomplexstructuredevelopment
- ▪ the area bounded by four streets in a town or suburb: North American "ours was the ugliest house on the block"
- ▪ the length of one side of a town block, typically as a measure of distance: North American "he lives a few blocks away from the museum"
- 3. a large quantity or allocation of things regarded as a unit: "a block of shares" Similar batchgroupclustersetsectionquantityseries
- ▪ a large piece of text processed as a unit.
- ▪ an unseparated unit of at least four postage stamps in at least two rows, generally a group of four.
- 4. an obstacle to the normal progress or functioning of something: "substantial demands for time off may constitute a block to career advancement" Similar obstacleobstructionbarbarrierimpedimenthindrancecheckhurdlestumbling blockdifficultyproblemsnagdisadvantagecomplicationdrawbackhitchhandicapdeterrentblockageobstructionstoppagestopping upclotocclusionimpedimenthindrancecongestionOpposite assistanceencouragement
- ▪ (in sports) a hindering or stopping of an opponent's movement or action: "Marshall's shot drew a fine block from the goalkeeper"
- ▪ a shot in which the racket is held stationary rather than being swung back, especially a stop volley.
- ▪ a chock for stopping the motion of a wheel.
- 5. a flat area of something, especially a solid area of color: "cover the eyelid with a neutral block of color"
- 6. a pulley or system of pulleys mounted in a case: "a simple pulley block"
- 7. a person's head: informal "“I'll knock your block off,” he said"
verb
- 1. make the movement or flow in (a passage, pipe, road, etc.) difficult or impossible: "block up the holes with sticky tape" Similar clog (up)stop upchokeplugobstructgum upoccludedam upcongestjamcloseinformal:bung upgunge upOpposite unblockopen
- ▪ put an obstacle in the way of (something proposed or attempted): "he stood up, blocking her escape" Similar hinderhamperobstructimpedeinhibitcheckarrestrestrictlimitdetercurbinterrupthaltstopbarpreventthwartbalkfrustratefoilscotchcircumventstand in the way ofinformal:fetterOpposite helpfacilitate
- ▪ prevent access to or use of (email, a website, or a mobile phone): "some companies use these IMEI numbers to block stolen phones"
- ▪ restrict the use or conversion of (currency or any other asset).
- ▪ (in sports) hinder or stop the movement or action of (an opponent, a ball, etc.): "Knight did well to block Soloman's shot" Similar parrystopdefend againstfend offstave offturn asidedeflecthold offavertrepelrebuffrepulsehold/keep at bay
- ▪ play in such a way that an opponent cannot establish (a long suit).
- ▪ produce insensibility in (a part of the body) by injecting an anesthetic close to the nerves that supply it.
- 2. impress text or a design on (a book cover).
- 3. shape or reshape (a hat) using a wooden mold: "nobody cleans and blocks old felt hats any more"
- 4. design or plan the movements of actors on a stage or movie set.
Word Origin Middle English (denoting a log or tree stump): from Old French bloc (noun), bloquer (verb), from Middle Dutch blok, of unknown ultimate origin.
Scrabble Points: 13
B
3L
1O
1C
3K
5
Powered by Oxford Dictionaries
Searches related to define blocks
define hollow blocks