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¹block

noun, often attributive \ˈbläk\

: a solid piece of material (such as rock or wood) that has flat sides and is usually square or rectangular in shape

: an area of land surrounded by four streets in a city

: the length of one city block

Full Definition of BLOCK

: a compact usually solid piece of substantial material especially when worked or altered to serve a particular purpose: as

a : the piece of wood on which the neck of a person condemned to be beheaded is laid for execution

b : a mold or form on which articles are shaped or displayed

c : a hollow rectangular building unit usually of artificial material

d : a lightweight usually cubical and solid wooden or plastic building toy that is usually provided in sets

e : the casting that contains the cylinders of an internal combustion engine

f : starting block

a : obstacle

b : an obstruction of an opponent's play in sports; especially : a halting or impeding of the progress or movement of an opponent in football by use of the body

c (1) : interruption of normal physiological function (as of a tissue or organ); especially : heart block (2) : local anesthesia (as by injection) produced by interruption of the flow of impulses along a nerve

d : interruption or cessation especially of train of thought by competing thoughts or psychological suppression — compare writer's block

slang : head 1 <threatened to knock his block off>

: a wooden or metal case enclosing one or more pulleys and having a hook, eye, or strap by which it may be attached

: a piece of material (as wood or linoleum) having on its surface a hand-cut design from which impressions are to be printed

a (1) : a usually rectangular space (as in a city) enclosed by streets and occupied by or intended for buildings (2) : the distance along one of the sides of such a block

b (1) : a large building divided into separate functional units (2) : a line of row houses (3) : a distinctive part of a building or integrated group of buildings

: a platform from which property is sold at auction

a : a quantity, number, or section of things dealt with as a unit

b : bloc 2

— on the block

: for sale

See block defined for English-language learners

See block defined for kids

Origin of BLOCK

Middle English blok, from Middle French & Middle Dutch; Middle French bloc, from Middle Dutch blok; akin to Old High German bloh block

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to BLOCK

Synonyms: array, assemblage, band, bank, batch, battery, group, bunch, clot, clump, cluster, clutch, collection, constellation, grouping, huddle, knot, lot, muster, package, parcel, passel, set, suite

Other Automotive Terms

articulated, choke, clutch, diesel, neutral, transmission

Rhymes with BLOCK

bloc, bock, brock, chock, clock, cock, croc, crock, doc, dock, floc, flock, frock, grok, hock, jock, knock, lakh, loch, lock, Locke, lough, moc, mock, nock, pock, roc, rock, schlock, shock, smock, sock, Spock, stock, wok

²block

verb

: to be placed in front of (something, such as a road or path) so that people or things cannot pass through

: to place something in front of (something, such as a road) so that people or things cannot go into the area

: to stop (someone or something) from moving through or going by

Full Definition of BLOCK

transitive verb

a : to make unsuitable for passage or progress by obstruction

b archaic : blockade

c : to hinder the passage, progress, or accomplishment of by or as if by interposing an obstruction

d : to shut off from view

e : to interfere usually legitimately with (as an opponent) in various games or sports

f : to prevent normal functioning or action of

g : to restrict the exchange of (as currency or checks)

: to mark or indicate the outline or chief lines of <block out a design>

: to shape on, with, or as if with a block <block a hat>

: to secure, support, or provide with a block

: to work out or chart the movements of (as stage performers) —often used with out

: to make (two or more lines of writing or type) flush at the left or at both left and right

intransitive verb

: to block an opponent in sports

— block·er noun

See block defined for English-language learners

First Known Use of BLOCK

1580

Related to BLOCK

Synonyms: fill, bung, dam, pack, plug, stop, stuff

Antonyms: clear, free, open (up), unblock, unclog, unplug, unstop

Synonym Discussion of BLOCK

hinder, impede, obstruct, block mean to interfere with the activity or progress of. hinder stresses causing harmful or annoying delay or interference with progress <rain hindered the climb>. impede implies making forward progress difficult by clogging, hampering, or fettering <tight clothing that impedes movement>. obstruct implies interfering with something in motion or in progress by the sometimes intentional placing of obstacles in the way <the view was obstructed by billboards>. block implies complete obstruction to passage or progress <a landslide blocked the road>.