Refine this word faster

Stronger alternatives Opposite tone Use in context Cross-language nuance

Rocket

//ˈɹɒk.ɪt// noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Noun

1
A projectile.; A cylindrical projectile that can be fired to a great height through combustion, (specifically) a type of firework of this form, typically exploding with light and colour; a skyrocket.
2
A leaf vegetable of species Eruca sativa or Eruca vesicaria. uncountable
3
a jet engine containing its own propellant and driven by reaction propulsion wordnet
4
A projectile.; A blunt lance head used in jousting.
5
Any plant of the genus Eruca. countable
"And avoid certain aphrodisiac foods, such as onions and rockets."

Show 12 more definitions

6
any vehicle self-propelled by a rocket engine wordnet
7
A projectile.; A long vehicle or craft propelled by a rocket engine; a missile or rocket-propelled spacecraft.
8
Rocket larkspur (Consolida regalis, syn. Delphinium consolida). countable, uncountable
9
sends a firework display high into the sky wordnet
10
A projectile.; An engine operating similarly to the pyrotechnic, generating thrust by the expulsion of hot gases; a rocket engine.
11
propels bright light high in the sky, or used to propel a lifesaving line or harpoon wordnet
12
Figurative uses.; Something that travels high in the air or with great speed; especially (sport), a hard shot. figuratively
"Fernandinho launched a rocket that flew just over. Gundogan's shot hit off Sviatchenko and Gordon and went out. City pressed and pressed."
13
erect European annual often grown as a salad crop to be harvested when young and tender wordnet
14
Figurative uses.; A severe reprimand; a telling-off. UK, figuratively, slang
"The Burmese nurse who'd gone with her was crying, for which she'd no doubt get a rocket from matron."
15
Figurative uses.; An ace (the playing card). figuratively, slang
16
Figurative uses.; A stupid or crazy person. Scotland, figuratively, slang
"Why were the Luddites named efter Ned Ludd? A wee rocket. A wee fucken fairy bampot. A pure hooligan, smashing stuff up. A ned. Ned Ludd."
17
Figurative uses.; A very physically attractive woman. East, England, South, figuratively, slang

Verb

1
To accelerate swiftly and powerfully. ambitransitive
"With Free Guy, Reynolds gets just a little more in touch with his Carrey side via nothing less than his own version of The Truman Show, shorn of its daydream dread and rocketed into the age of Fortnite."
2
propel with a rocket wordnet
3
To fly vertically.
4
shoot up abruptly, like a rocket wordnet
5
To rise or soar rapidly.
"The project was attractive because of the ability to maximise the use of existing and decommissioned railways, minimise land take, and decrease the amount of disruption during the project. With London land prices rocketing, there was also a significant financial incentive."

Show 3 more definitions

6
To experience sudden fame, popularity, or success.
"After spending years in obscurity, the band finally rocketed last week."
7
To carry something in a rocket.
8
To attack something with rockets.

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Italian rocchetta, from Old Italian rocchetto (“rocket”, literally “a bobbin”), diminutive of rocca (“a distaff”), from Lombardic rocko (“spinning wheel”), from Proto-West Germanic *rokkō, from Proto-Germanic *rukkô (“a distaff, a staff with flax fibres tied loosely to it, used in spinning thread”). Cognate with Old High German rocco, rocko, roccho, rocho ("a distaff"; > German Rocken (“a distaff”)), Swedish rock (“a distaff”), Icelandic rokkur (“a distaff”), Middle English rocke (“a distaff”). More at rock⁴. For the meaning development, compare fuselage, ultimately from Latin fūsus (“spindle, spinning wheel”).

Etymology 2

Etymology 3

Borrowed from French roquette, from Italian ruchetta, diminutive of ruca, from Latin eruca. Cognate to arugula, rucola, eruca, roquette.

Next best steps

Find stronger synonyms See usage examples Check pronunciation

Mini challenge

Unscramble this word: rocket