King James Bible Dictionary

(Heb. tsur), employed as a symbol of God in the Old Testament (1 Samuel 2:2; 2 Samuel 22:3; Isaiah 17:10; Psalms 28:1; 31:2, 3; 89:26; 95:1); also in the New Testament (Matthew 16:18; Romans 9:33; 1 Corinthians 10:4). In Daniel 2:45 the Chaldaic form of the Hebrew word is translated "mountain." It ought to be translated "rock," as in Habakkuk 1:12 in the Revised Version. The "rock" from which the stone is cut there signifies the divine origin of Christ. (See STONE.)

Smitten by Moses for water
Deuteronomy 8:15; Psalms 78:15-16; Psalms 78:20

Houses in
Jeremiah 49:16; Obadiah 1:3; Matthew 7:24-25

Oil from
Job 29:6; Deuteronomy 32:13

Name of deity
Deuteronomy 32:4

Figurative
2 Samuel 22:32; 2 Samuel 22:47; 2 Samuel 23:3; Psalms 18:2; Psalms 31:2; Psalms 40:2; Isaiah 17:10; Isaiah 32:2; Matthew 16:18; 1 Corinthians 10:4

ROCK, noun [Gr., Latin rupes, from the root of rumpo, to break or burst. If this is not the origin of rock I know not to what root to assign it.]

1. A large mass of stony matter, usually compounded of two or more simple minerals, either bedded in the earth or resting on its surface. Sometimes rocks compose the principal part of huge mountains; sometimes hugh rocks lie on the surface of the earth, in detached blocks or masses. Under this term, mineralogists class all mineral substances, coal, gypsum, salt, etc.

2. In Scripture, figuratively, defense; means of safety; protection; strength; asylum.

The Lord is my rock 2 Samuel 22:2.

3. Firmness; a firm or immovable foundation. Psalms 28:1.

Matthew 7:24. Matthew 16:18.

4. A species of vulture or condor.

5. A fabulous bird in the Eastern tales.

ROCK, noun

A distaff used in spinning; the staff or frame about which flax is arranged, from which the thread is drawn in spinning.

ROCK, verb transitive

1. To move backward and forward, as a body resting on a foundation; as, to rock a cradle; to rock a chair; to rock a mountain. It differs from shake, as denoting a slower and more uniform motion, or larger movements. It differs from swing, which expresses a vibratory motion of something suspended.

A rising earthquake rock'd the ground.

2. To move backwards and forwards in a cradle, chair, etc.; as, to rock a child to sleep.

3. To lull to quiet.

Sleep rock thy brain. [Unusual.]

ROCK, verb intransitive To be moved backwards and forwards; to reel.

The rocking town supplants their footsteps.

ROCK'-ALUM, noun The purest kind of alum. [See Roche-alum.

ROCK'-BASON, noun A cavity or artificial bason cut in a rock for the purpose, as is supposed, of collecting the dew or rain for ablutions and purifications prescribed by the druidical religion.

ROCK-BUTTER, noun A subsulphite of alumin, oozing from aluminous rocks.

ROCK-CRYS'TAL, noun The most perfect variety of silicious earth or quartz; limpid quartz. When purest it is white or colorless, but it is found of a grayish or yellowish white, pale yellow or citron. Its most usual form is that of hexagonal prisms, surmounted by hexagonal pyramids.

ROCK'-DOE, noun A species of deer.

ROCK'ED, participle passive [from rock, the verb.] Moved one way and the other.

ROCK'ER, noun One who rocks the cradle; also, the curving piece of wood on which a cradle or chair rocks.

ROCK'ET, noun

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, noun [Latin 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, noun A species of Gobius.

ROCK'INESS, noun [from rocky.] State of abounding with rocks.

ROCK'ING, participle present tense Moving backwards and forwards.

ROCK'LESS, adjective Being without rocks.

ROCK'-OIL, noun Another name for petrol or petroleum.

ROCK'-PIGEON, noun A pigeon that builds her nest on a rock.

ROCK'-ROSE, noun A plant of the genus Cistus.

ROCK-RUBY, noun A name sometimes given to the garnet, when it is of a strong, but not a deep red, and has a cast of blue.

ROCK'-SALT, noun Fossil or mineral salt; salt dug from the earth; muriate of soda. But in America, this name is sometimes given to salt that comes in large crystals from the West Indies, which salt is formed by evaporation from sea water, in large basons or cavities, on the isles. Hexahedral rock-salt occurs foliated and fibrous.

ROCK'-WOOD, noun Ligniform asbestus.

ROCK'-WORK, noun

1. Stones fixed in mortar in imitation of the asperities of rocks, forming a wall.

2. A natural wall of rock.

ROCK'Y, adjective [from rock.]

1. Full of rocks; as a rocky mountain; rocky shore.

2. Resembling a rock; as the rocky orb of a shield.

3. Very hard; stony; obdurate; insusceptible of impression; as a rocky bosom.