Adjacent Words

Rocket definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

ROCK'ET, n.
An artificial fire-work, consisting of a cylindrical case of paper, filled with a composition of combustible ingredients, as niter, charcoal and sulphur. This being tied to a stick and fired, ascends into the air and bursts.
ROCK'ET, n. [L. eruca.] A plant of the genus Brassica. There is also the bastard rocket, of the genus Reseda; the corn rocket and the sea rocket, of the genus Bunias; the marsh rocket, the water rocket, and the winter rocket, of the genus Sisymbrium; and the dame's violet rocket, of the genus Hesperis.
ROCK'-FISH, n. A species of Gobius.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: any vehicle self-propelled by a rocket engine [syn: rocket, projectile]
2: a jet engine containing its own propellant and driven by reaction propulsion [syn: rocket, rocket engine]
3: erect European annual often grown as a salad crop to be harvested when young and tender [syn: rocket, roquette, garden rocket, rocket salad, arugula, Eruca sativa, Eruca vesicaria sativa]
4: propels bright light high in the sky, or used to propel a lifesaving line or harpoon [syn: rocket, skyrocket]
5: sends a firework display high into the sky [syn: skyrocket, rocket] v
1: shoot up abruptly, like a rocket; "prices skyrocketed" [syn: rocket, skyrocket]
2: propel with a rocket

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle French roquette, from Old Italian rochetta, diminutive of ruca arugula, from Latin eruca Date: 1530 any of several plants of the mustard family: as a. arugula b. dame's rocket II. noun Usage: often attributive Etymology: Italian rocchetta, literally, small distaff, from diminutive of rocca distaff, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German rocko distaff Date: 1611 1. a. a firework consisting of a case partly filled with a combustible composition fastened to a guiding stick and propelled through the air by the rearward discharge of the gases liberated by combustion b. a similar device used as an incendiary weapon or as a propelling unit (as for a lifesaving line) 2. a jet engine that operates on the same principle as the firework rocket, consists essentially of a combustion chamber and an exhaust nozzle, carries either liquid or solid propellants which provide the fuel and oxygen needed for combustion and thus make the engine independent of the oxygen of the air, and is used especially for the propulsion of a missile (as a bomb or shell) or a vehicle (as an airplane) 3. a rocket-propelled bomb, missile, projectile, or vehicle III. Date: 1837 transitive verb to convey or propel by means of or as if by a rocket intransitive verb 1. to rise up swiftly, spectacularly, and with force <rocketed to the top of the list> 2. to travel rapidly in or as if in a rocket

Oxford Reference Dictionary

1. n. & v. --n. 1 a cylindrical projectile that can be propelled to a great height or distance by combustion of its contents, used esp. as a firework or signal. 2 an engine using a similar principle but not dependent on air intake for its operation. 3 a rocket-propelled missile, spacecraft, etc. 4 Brit. sl. a severe reprimand. --v. (rocketed, rocketing) 1 tr. bombard with rockets. 2 intr. a move rapidly upwards or away. b increase rapidly (prices rocketed). Etymology: F roquette f. It. rochetto dimin. of rocca ROCK(2), with ref. to its cylindrical shape 2. n. 1 (also sweet rocket) any of various fast-growing plants, esp. of the genus Hesperis or Sisymbrium. 2 a cruciferous annual plant, Eruca sativa, grown for salad. Phrases and idioms: wall-rocket a yellow-flowered weed, Diplotaxis muralis, emitting a foul smell when crushed. yellow rocket winter cress. Etymology: F roquette f. It. rochetta, ruchetta dimin. of ruca f. L eruca downy-stemmed plant

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Rocket Rock"et, n. [F. roquette (cf. Sp. ruqueta, It ruchetta), fr. L. eruca.] (Bot.) (a) A cruciferous plant (Eruca sativa) sometimes eaten in Europe as a salad. (b) Damewort. (c) Rocket larkspur. See below. Dyer's Rocket. (Bot.) See Dyer's broom, under Broom. Rocket larkspur (Bot.), an annual plant with showy flowers in long racemes (Delphinium Ajacis). Sea rocket (Bot.), either of two fleshy cruciferous plants (Cakile maritima and C. Americana) found on the seashore of Europe and America. Yellow rocket (Bot.), a common cruciferous weed with yellow flowers (Barbarea vulgaris).

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Rocket Rock"et, n. [It. rocchetta, fr. rocca a distaff, of German origin. Named from the resemblance in shape to a distaff. See Rock a distaff.] 1. An artificial firework consisting of a cylindrical case of paper or metal filled with a composition of combustible ingredients, as niter, charcoal, and sulphur, and fastened to a guiding stick. The rocket is projected through the air by the force arising from the expansion of the gases liberated by combustion of the composition. Rockets are used as projectiles for various purposes, for signals, and also for pyrotechnic display. 2. A blunt lance head used in the joust.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Rocket Rock"et, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Rocketed; p. pr. & vb. n. Rocketing.] (Sporting) To rise straight up; said of birds; usually in the present participle or as an adjective. [Eng.] An old cock pheasant came rocketing over me. --H. R. Haggard.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Damewort Dame"wort`, n. (Bot.) A cruciferrous plant (Hesperis matronalis), remarkable for its fragrance, especially toward the close of the day; -- called also rocket and dame's violet. --Loudon.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(rockets, rocketing, rocketed) Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English. 1. A rocket is a space vehicle that is shaped like a long tube. N-COUNT 2. A rocket is a missile containing explosive that is powered by gas. There has been a renewed rocket attack on the capital. N-COUNT: oft N n 3. A rocket is a firework that quickly goes high into the air and then explodes. N-COUNT 4. If things such as prices or social problems rocket, they increase very quickly and suddenly. (JOURNALISM) Fresh food is so scarce that prices have rocketed... The nation has experienced four years of rocketing crime. = soar VERB: V, V-ing 5. If something such as a vehicle rockets somewhere, it moves there very quickly. A train rocketed by, shaking the walls of the row houses... VERB: V prep/adv

Moby Thesaurus

AA target rocket, ABM, ASM, ATS, Asp, Asroc, Atlas, Atlas-Agena, Atlas-Centaur, Bullpup, Cajun, Corporal, Corvus, Crossbow, Dart, Deacon, Delta, Diamant, Dove, Earth insertion, Falcon, Firebee, Genie, Hawk, Holy Moses, Hound Dog, ICBM, Irish confetti, Jupiter, LEM, LM, Lacrosse, Lark, Loki, Loon, Mace, Matador, Navaho, Nike, Nike Ajax, Pershing, Petrel, Polaris, Poseidon, Quail, Ram, Rascal, Redeye, Redstone, Regulus I, Roman candle, SLAM, Saturn, Scout, Sentinel, Sergeant, Shillelagh, Sidewinder, Skybolt, Snark, Spaerobee, Sparrow, Subroc, Super Talos, Talos, Tartar, Terrier, Thor, Thor Able Star, Thor-Agena, Thor-Delta, Tiny Tim, Titan, V-2, Viking, WAC-Corporal, Wagtail, Zuni, aid to navigation, alarm, amber light, anchor rocket, antelope, antiaircraft rocket, antiradar rocket, apogee, arrow, atom-rocket, atomic warhead, attitude-control rocket, balefire, ballistic capsule, barrage rocket, bat bomb, beacon, beacon fire, bell, bell buoy, bird, blinker, blue darter, blue peter, blue streak, bob up, bola, bolt, boomerang, break water, brickbat, buoy, burn, cannonball, capsule, caution light, chemical rocket, climb, countermissile, courser, dart, deep-space ship, demolition rocket, docking, docking maneuver, eagle, electricity, express train, ferry rocket, fin-stabilized rocket, fireworks rocket, flare, flare rocket, flash, float up, fly up, flying tank, fog bell, fog signal, fog whistle, foghorn, fountain, fuel ship, gazelle, glance, go light, gong buoy, greased lightning, green light, greyhound, guided missile, gush, hare, heliograph, high sign, high-altitude rocket, homing rocket, incendiary rocket, injection, insertion, international alphabet flag, international numeral pennant, ion engine, ion rocket, jet, jet plane, jump up, kick, lark, leap up, leer, light, lightning, line-throwing rocket, liquid-fuel rocket, lunar excursion module, lunar module, manned rocket, marker beacon, mercury, missile, module, moon ship, multistage rocket, nod, nuclear warhead, nudge, orbit, parachute flare, parking orbit, payload, perigee, pilot flag, plasma engine, plasma jet, poke, police whistle, pop up, projectile, quarantine flag, quicksilver, radio beacon, ram rocket, red flag, red light, reentry, retro-float light, retro-rocket, rock, rocket engine, rocket motor, rockoon, sailing aid, scared rabbit, semaphore, semaphore flag, semaphore telegraph, shoot up, shot, shuttle rocket, sign, signal, signal beacon, signal bell, signal fire, signal flag, signal gong, signal gun, signal lamp, signal light, signal mast, signal post, signal rocket, signal shot, signal siren, signal tower, skylark, skyrocket, smoke rocket, snake, soar, soft landing, solid-fuel rocket, space capsule, space docking, space rocket, spacecraft, spaceship, spar buoy, spin-stabilized rocket, spinner, spring up, spurt, start up, stone, stop light, streak, streak of lightning, striped snake, supersonic rocket, surface, swallow, take off, the nod, the wink, thermonuclear warhead, thought, throw stick, throwing-stick, thunderbolt, torpedo, torrent, touch, traffic light, traffic signal, trajectory missile, transoceanic rocket, upleap, upshoot, upspear, upspring, upstart, vault up, vernier, vernier rocket, waddy, war rocket, warhead, watch fire, white flag, wigwag, wigwag flag, wind, window rocket, wink, yellow flag, zoom