band and the outer edge of the wing quills are deep blue, and the central tail feathers bluish green. —
Rock pigeon (Zoöl.), the wild pigeon (Columba livia) Of Europe and Asia, from which the domestic
pigeon was derived. See Illust. under Pigeon. — Rock pipit. (Zoöl.) See the Note under Pipit. —
Rock plover. (Zoöl.) (a) The black-bellied, or whistling, plover. (b) The rock snipe. - - Rock ptarmigan
(Zoöl.), an arctic American ptarmigan which in winter is white, with the tail and lores black. In summer
the males are grayish brown, coarsely vermiculated with black, and have black patches on the back.
— Rock rabbit (Zoöl.), the hyrax. See Cony, and Daman. — Rock ruby (Min.), a fine reddish
variety of garnet. — Rock salt (Min.), cloride of sodium (common salt) occuring in rocklike masses
in mines; mineral salt; salt dug from the earth. In the United States this name is sometimes given to salt
in large crystals, formed by evaporation from sea water in large basins or cavities. — Rock seal (Zoöl.),
the harbor seal. See Seal. — Rock shell (Zoöl.), any species of Murex, Purpura, and allied genera.
— Rock snake (Zoöl.), any one of several large pythons; as, the royal rock snake (Python regia) of
Africa, and the rock snake of India (P. molurus). The Australian rock snakes mostly belong to the allied
genus Morelia. — Rock snipe (Zoöl.), the purple sandpiper (Tringa maritima); — called also rock
bird, rock plover, winter snipe. — Rock soap (Min.), a kind of clay having a smooth, greasy feel,
and adhering to the tongue. — Rock sparrow. (Zoöl.) (a) Any one of several species of Old World
sparrows of the genus Petronia, as P. stulla, of Europe. (b) A North American sparrow — Rock tar,
petroleum. — Rock thrush (Zoöl.), any Old World thrush of the genus Monticola, or Petrocossyphus; as,
the European rock thrush and the blue rock thrush of India in which the male is blue throughout. —
Rock tripe (Bot.), a kind of lichen (Umbilicaria Dillenii) growing on rocks in the northen parts of America,
and forming broad, flat, coriaceous, dark fuscous or blackish expansions. It has been used as food
in cases of extremity. — Rock trout (Zoöl.), any one of several species of marine food fishes of the
genus Hexagrammus, family Chiradæ, native of the North Pacific coasts; — called also sea trout, boregat,
bodieron, and starling. — Rock warbler (Zoöl.), a small Australian singing bird (Origma rubricata)
which frequents rocky ravines and water courses; — called also cataract bird. — Rock wren (Zoöl.),
any one of several species of wrens of the genus Salpinctes, native of the arid plains of Lower California
and Mexico.
Rock
(Rock) v. t. [imp. & p. p. Rocked ;p. pr. & vb. n. Rocking.] [AS. roccian; akin to Dan. rokke
to move, to snake; cf. Icel. rukkja to pull, move, G. rücken to move, push, pull.]
1. To cause to sway backward and forward, as a body resting on a support beneath; as, to rock a cradle
or chair; to cause to vibrate; to cause to reel or totter.
A rising earthquake rocked the ground.
Dryden. 2. To move as in a cradle; hence, to put to sleep by rocking; to still; to quiet. "Sleep rock thy brain." Shak.
Rock differs from shake, as denoting a slower, less violent, and more uniform motion, or larger movements.
It differs from swing, which expresses a vibratory motion of something suspended.
Rock
(Rock), v. i.
1. To move or be moved backward and forward; to be violently agitated; to reel; to totter.
The rocking town
Supplants their footsteps.
J. Philips . 2. To roll or saway backward and forward upon a support; as, to rock in a rocking-chair.
