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block

block

340 1.0
A solid piece of material used for building or play
  • noun
  • /blɑk/
translation icon : bloque
  • Water boxes are large concrete blocks that have been embedded in the soil.
  • building block
  • basic building block
  • wooden block

I see myself as a big block of Swiss cheese.

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Examples

  • Specimens were cored from the large reinforced concrete block and subjected to laboratory testing.

    Academic text (2017)
  • Most people here live on $2 per day, and a concrete block costs 45 cents.

    Academic text (2011)
  • The whole engine block is full of it.

  • Students measure and record how far each block moved on each surface.

    Academic text (2015)
  • All you need is a block of paper and a pencil.

  • So what we've got here is a big block of dry ice.

  • Participants had as many as eight repeated measurements from two blocks under each of four conditions.

    Academic text (2012)
  • Now you're left with this block of onions here.

  • My gummy bears have turned into a solid block of gummy sludge.

  • The children built a tower using colorful toy blocks in the playroom.

Synonyms

brick
vsblock
440 1.0

A hard rectangular block of baked clay used to build walls or paths

is a general solid piece not limited to clay or construction use
cube
vsblock
130 1.0

A solid object with six equal square faces and right angles

is a general solid unit that need not have perfect equal faces
cinder block
vsblock
  • US
16 2.9

A hollow rectangular block of concrete used to build walls

is a generic solid unit used beyond this specific material and use
engine block
vsblock
  • Specialized
5 4.0

A metal part of an engine that holds the cylinders and channels for cooling

is a general solid unit used in many machines or other contexts
butcher block
vsblock
  • US
3 4.3

A thick wooden board used for cutting and preparing food

is a general solid unit not designed mainly for food preparation
building block
vsblock
2 2.8

A block of stone or concrete used to make walls

is a general solid unit used in many different contexts
woodblock
vsblock
1 4.0

A carved block of wood used to print pictures onto paper or cloth

is a general solid unit used for many tasks beyond printing
chopping block
vsblock
1 2.6

A thick wooden block used to cut food or chop wood

is a general solid unit that need not function as a chopping surface
wood block
vsblock
1 4.8

A block of wood with a carved design used to make prints on paper or cloth

is a general solid unit not limited to this printing purpose
square block
vsblock
1 1.6

A solid piece shaped like a cube that is as long as it is wide and tall

is a general solid unit that may have other rectangular shapes
cylinder block
vsblock
  • Specialized
1 5.4

A solid piece of metal in an engine that holds the cylinders where the pistons move and cooling passages

is a general solid unit not specific to this engine casting
pillow block
vsblock
  • Specialized
7.9

A metal block that supports a shaft so it can turn smoothly with a bearing inside

is a general solid unit not specifically for supporting rotating shafts
line block
vsblock
  • Specialized
9.5

A piece of wood or metal cut to print pictures made mostly of lines

is a general solid unit used beyond line based printing images
pulley block
vsblock
  • Specialized
4.2

A wheel with a groove for a rope that helps lift or move heavy things

is a solid unit rather than a movable rope and wheel mechanism

Idioms

8 3.7

A person or thing new to a group that others do not know yet

7 4.4

A person who is very like one of their parents in looks or behaviour

6 8.1

A person who has a lot of experience from many situations

2 4.1

Offered for sale, often at a public auction

Compounds

64 5.2

A short distance equal to two city blocks

block grant
  • Formal
30 4.0

Money given by a national government to local governments for a general purpose with few rules

A basic part that forms the base of something larger

19 1.4

An area in a city surrounded by streets that usually has several buildings

A problem that stops progress or makes moving forward difficult

A time when a person cannot think of new things to write

16 2.9

A hollow rectangular block of concrete used to build walls

A raised platform where an auctioneer stands to sell things

engine block
  • Specialized
5 4.0

A metal part of an engine that holds the cylinders and channels for cooling

4 5.0

A short time when you cannot think clearly or remember something

3 3.0

A single capital letter written clearly and not joined to other letters

3 4.3

A thick wooden board used for cutting and preparing food

A block of stone or concrete used to make walls

heart block
  • Specialized
2 5.3

The heart's signals stop partly or completely, causing slow, irregular beats and fainting

block diagram
  • Specialized
1 4.2

A simple picture showing the main parts of a system and how they connect

A thick wooden block used to cut food or chop wood

block and tackle
  • Specialized
1 4.2

A set of pulleys and ropes used to lift heavy objects

1 2.8

A large building with many rooms used by different businesses

1 3.5

A tall building with many apartments or offices on different floors

1 4.8

A block of wood with a carved design used to make prints on paper or cloth

1 1.6

A solid piece shaped like a cube that is as long as it is wide and tall

A pair of plates that sprinters push with their feet at the start

block vote
  • Literature
1 6.1

A vote by a delegate that counts for the number of people they represent

cylinder block
  • Specialized
1 5.4

A solid piece of metal in an engine that holds the cylinders where the pistons move and cooling passages

1 6.8

A heart problem when electrical signals between the upper and lower chambers are slow or stop causing fainting

pudendal block
  • Specialized
1 8.6

An injection that numbs the nerves near the vagina to reduce pain during childbirth

block anesthesia
  • Specialized
5.2

A way to make part of the body numb by putting medicine near a nerve

An uppercase letter written clearly and not joined to other letters often used on forms

A wide, square heel on a shoe that gives good balance

block plane
  • Specialized
7.7

A small hand tool for smoothing and trimming the ends of wood

4.1

A light concrete block that builders use to make walls and sheds

bullock block
  • Archaic
9.9

A small wheel used with a rope to help raise sails at the top of a ship's mast

caudal block
  • Specialized
7.1

An injection of pain medicine into the lower part of the spine to numb the lower body for surgery

clinker block
  • Specialized
6.6

A light concrete block used for building, made from waste from burned coal instead of stone

8.9

A large plain apartment building from the communist era

damper block
  • Specialized
8.2

A small piece of felt that drops on a piano string to stop it from vibrating

bad block
  • Specialized
7.7

A part of a disk where data cannot be read or written because it is damaged

bad block
  • Specialized
7.5

A block in a blockchain that the network computers do not accept because it breaks the rules

line block
  • Specialized
9.5

A piece of wood or metal cut to print pictures made mostly of lines

gapers' block
  • Literature
9.3

A traffic slowdown caused by drivers slowing to look at an accident

4.3

A way to numb one body part by injecting medicine near a nerve

pulley block
  • Specialized
4.2

A wheel with a groove for a rope that helps lift or move heavy things

pulley-block
  • Specialized
7.3

A wheel with a groove that a rope runs in to lift things or change the rope's direction

6.8

A method that numbs the area that would touch a saddle by injecting medicine near the spine

paracervical block
  • Specialized
9.7

An injection of numbing medicine beside the cervix to reduce pain during childbirth

pillow block
  • Specialized
7.9

A metal block that supports a shaft so it can turn smoothly with a bearing inside

A pad of paper for quick notes and sketches

scribing block
  • Specialized
9.9

A tool with a sharp point on a stand that checks flat surfaces or marks lines on metal

swage block
  • Specialized
9.9

A heavy iron block with holes and grooves that helps shape hot metal in a forge

trap block
  • Jargon
7.9

In American football, an illegal action where a player hits another player from the side or behind

2.7

A book of blank paper for drawing quick pictures

snatch block
  • Specialized
9.3

A pulley that opens so you can place a rope inside without passing the end through

How Big

boulder
191 2.2
chunk
265 2.4
block
340 1.0
piece
1.0
sliver
51 3.9

Surface Forms

block singular
blocks plural

Etymology

Block comes from an old French word bloc meaning 'log' or 'piece of wood', which is why a block is a solid piece used for building, play, or machines.