rocket
1 Americannoun
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any of various plants belonging to the genus Hesperis, of the mustard family, and related genera.
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Also called roquette. Also called rocket salad,. the arugula plant, used in salads.
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a noxious weed, Barbarea vulgaris, of the United States, having lobed leaves and clusters of small, yellow flowers.
noun
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any of various simple or complex tubelike devices containing combustibles that on being ignited liberate gases whose action propels the tube through the air: used for pyrotechnic effect, signaling, carrying a lifeline, hurling explosives at an enemy, putting a space vehicle into orbit, etc.
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a space capsule or vehicle put into orbit by such devices.
verb (used with object)
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to move or transport by means of a rocket.
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to attack with rockets.
verb (used without object)
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to move like a rocket.
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(of game birds) to fly straight up rapidly when flushed.
noun
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Also called: arugula. a Mediterranean plant, Eruca sativa , having yellowish-white flowers and leaves used as a salad: family Brassicaceae (crucifers)
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any of several plants of the related genus Sisymbrium , esp S. irio ( London rocket ), which grow on waste ground and have pale yellow flowers
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any of several yellow-flowered plants of the related genus Barbarea , esp B. vulgaris
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any of several plants of the related genus Cakile , esp C. maritima , which grow along the seashores of Europe and North America and have mauve, pink, or white flowers
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another name for dame's violet
noun
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a self-propelling device, esp a cylinder containing a mixture of solid explosives, used as a firework, distress signal, line carrier, etc
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any vehicle propelled by a rocket engine, esp one used to carry a warhead, spacecraft, etc
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( as modifier )
rocket propulsion
rocket launcher
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informal a severe reprimand (esp in the phrase get a rocket )
verb
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(tr) to propel (a missile, spacecraft, etc) by means of a rocket
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(intr; foll by off, away, etc) to move off at high speed
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(intr) to rise rapidly
he rocketed to the top
Other Word Forms
- rocketlike adjective
Etymology
Origin of rocket1
First recorded in 1525–35; from French roquette, from Italian ruchetta, ultimately from Latin ērūca kind of herb
Origin of rocket1
First recorded in 1560–70; from Italian rocchetta, diminutive of rocca “distaff” (with reference to its shape); from Germanic
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The next major catalyst for Rocket Lab is the debut launch of Neutron, a reusable rocket that was unveiled in 2021.
From MarketWatch
The New York Times reported External link that Elon Musk’s rocket company is interviewing bankers for a potential IPO.
From Barron's
Banks are bracing for what they hope could be the biggest year for IPOs ever, with rocket maker SpaceX, artificial-intelligence company Anthropic and others eyeing listings.
Northrop Grumman could move to separate some of its rocket and rocket propulsion businesses, but those assets are more integrated with other Northrop units, she adds.
From Barron's
An Indian rocket hit a snag during its launch Monday, forcing a deviation in flight path as it carried an Earth observation satellite and commercial payloads, the country's space agency said.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
