Jump To:

• block
  block

  noun

  a solid mass of wood, stone, etc., usually with one or more flat or approximately flat faces.
• Block
  Block

  noun

  Herbert Lawrence Herblock, 1909–2001, U.S. cartoonist.

block

¹ American  

[blok] / blɒk /

noun

• blocks
  plural

1. a solid mass of wood, stone, etc., usually with one or more flat or approximately flat faces.

2. a hollow masonry building unit of cement, terracotta, etc..

   a wall made of concrete blocks.

3. one of a set of cube-shaped pieces of wood, plastic, or the like, used as a child's toy in building.

4. a mold or piece on which something is shaped or kept in shape.

   a hat block.

5. a piece of wood used in the art of making woodcuts or wood engravings.

6. Printing. the base on which a plate is mounted to make it type-high.

7. a projection left on a squared stone to provide a means of lifting it.

8. a short length of plank serving as a bridging, as between joists.

9. a stump or wooden structure on which a condemned person is beheaded.

   Mary Stuart went bravely to the block.

10. auction block.

11. Machinery. a part enclosing one or more freely rotating, grooved pulleys, about which ropes or chains pass to form a hoisting or hauling tackle.

12. an obstacle, obstruction, or hindrance.

    His stubbornness is a block to all my efforts.

    Synonyms:

    jam, stoppage, barrier, blockade, impediment

13. the state or condition of being obstructed; blockage.

    The traffic block lasted several hours.

14. Pathology.

    1. an obstruction, as of a nerve.

    2. heart block.

15. Sports. a hindering of an opponent's actions.

16. a quantity, portion, or section taken as a unit or dealt with at one time.

    a large block of theater tickets.

17. a small section of a city, town, etc., enclosed by neighboring and intersecting streets.

    She lives on my block.

18. the length of one side of such a section.

    We walked two blocks over.

19. Chiefly British. a large building divided into separate apartments, offices, shops, etc.

20. a large number of bonds or shares of stock sold together as a single unit.

21. Computers.

    1. a group of data stored as a unit on an external storage medium and handled as a unit by the computer for input or output.

       This file has 20 records per block.

    2. a section of storage locations in a computer allocated to a particular set of instructions or data.

    3. a group of consecutive machine words organized as a unit and guiding a particular computer operation, especially with reference to input and output.

    4. (on a flow chart) a symbol representing an operation, device, or instruction in a computer program.

22. Railroads. any of the short lengths into which a track is divided for signaling purposes.

23. Philately. a group of four or more unseparated stamps, not in a strip.

24. Slang. a person's head.

25. Glassmaking. a wooden or metal cup for blocking a gather.

26. an obstruction or stoppage in mental processes or speech, especially when related to stress, emotional conflict, etc.

27. writer's block.

28. Geology.

    1. any large, angular mass of solid rock.

    2. fault block.

29. (in Canada) a wild or remote area of land that has not yet been surveyed.

    the Peace River block.

30. Automotive. cylinder block.

31. Falconry. a low perch to which a falcon is tethered outdoors.

---

verb (used with object)

• blocks,
  present (3rd person singular)
• blocked,
  past participle,  past
• blocking
  present participle

1. to obstruct (someone or something) by placing obstacles in the way (sometimes followed byup ).

   to block one's exit;

   to block up a passage.

   Synonyms:

   stop, deter, hinder, impede, blockade, close

2. to fit with blocks; mount on a block.

3. to shape or prepare on or with a block.

   to block a hat;

   to block a sweater.

4. to join (the ends of boards or the like) by fastening to a block of wood.

5. Theater.

   1. Also block out. to plan or work out the movement of performers in a play, pageant, etc..

      Tomorrow we'll block act one.

   2. to draw a floor plan on (a stage) in order to indicate placement of scenery, stage property, etc.

6. Pathology, Physiology. to stop the passage of impulses in (a nerve).

7. Computers. to group (contiguous data) together so as to allow to be read or written in a single operation.

8. Sports. to hinder or bar the actions or movements of (an opposing player), especially legitimately.

9. Glassmaking.

   1. to shape (a molten gather) in a wet cup of wood or metal.

   2. to plunge a block of wood into (molten glass) to aid in refining the glass.

10. Metalworking. to give (a forging) a rough form before finishing.

11. Electronics. to apply a high negative bias to the grid of (a vacuum tube), for reducing the plate current to zero.

verb (used without object)

• blocks,
  present (3rd person singular)
• blocked,
  past participle,  past
• blocking
  present participle

1. to act so as to obstruct an opponent, as in football, hockey, and basketball.

   He doesn't get many baskets, but he sure can block.

2. Theater. to block a play, act, scene, stage, etc..

   The director will block tomorrow.

3. to suffer a block.

verb phrase

1. block out

   1. block.

   2. Basketball. to box out.

2. block in / out to sketch or outline roughly or generally, without details.

   She blocked out a color scheme for the interiors.

idioms

1. put / go on the block, to offer or be offered for sale at auction.

   to put family heirlooms on the block.

Block ² American  

[blok] / blɒk /

noun

1. Herbert Lawrence Herblock, 1909–2001, U.S. cartoonist.

---

block British  

/ blɒk /

noun

1. a large solid piece of wood, stone, or other material with flat rectangular sides, as for use in building

2. any large solid piece of wood, stone, etc, usually having at least one face fairly flat

3. such a piece on which particular tasks may be done, as chopping, cutting, or beheading

4. Also called: building block.  one of a set of wooden or plastic cubes as a child's toy

5. a form on which things are shaped or displayed

   a wig block

6. slang a person's head (esp in the phrase knock someone's block off )

7. slang to become angry

8. a dull, unemotional, or hardhearted person

9. a large building of offices, flats, etc

10. 1. a group of buildings in a city bounded by intersecting streets on each side

    2. the area or distance between such intersecting streets

11. an area of land for a house, farm, etc

12. a log, usually a willow, fastened to a timber base and used in a wood-chopping competition

13. an area of land, esp one to be divided for building or settling

14. See cylinder block

15. 1. a piece of wood, metal, or other material having an engraved, cast, or carved design in relief, used either for printing or for stamping book covers, etc

    2. a letterpress printing plate, esp one mounted type-high on wood or metal

16. a casing housing one or more freely rotating pulleys See also block and tackle

17. up for auction

18. the act of obstructing or condition of being obstructed, as in sports

19. an obstruction or hindrance

20. pathol

    1. interference in the normal physiological functioning of an organ or part

    2. See heart block

    3. See nerve block

21. psychol a short interruption of perceptual or thought processes

22. obstruction of an opponent in a sport

23. 1. a section or quantity, as of tickets or shares, handled or considered as a single unit

    2. ( as modifier )

       a block booking

       block voting

24. 1. a stretch of railway in which only one train may travel at a time

    2. ( as modifier )

       a block signal

25. an unseparated group of four or more postage stamps Compare strip 1

26. a pad of paper

27. computing a group of words treated as a unit of data on a tape, disk, etc

28. athletics short for starting block

29. cricket a mark made near the popping crease by a batsman to indicate his position in relation to the wicket

30. informal a person who resembles one of his or her parents in behaviour

---

verb

1. to shape or form (something) into a block

2. to fit with or mount on a block

3. to shape by use of a block

   to block a hat

4. (often foll by up) to obstruct (a passage, channel, etc) or prevent or impede the motion or flow of (something or someone) by introducing an obstacle

   to block the traffic

   to block up a pipe

5. to impede, retard, or prevent (an action, procedure, etc)

6. to stamp (a title, design, etc) on (a book cover, etc) by means of a block (see sense 12), esp using gold leaf or other foil

7. (esp of a government or central bank) to limit the use or conversion of assets or currency

8. (also intr) sport to obstruct or impede movement by (an opponent)

9. (intr) to suffer a psychological block

10. to interrupt a physiological function, as by use of an anaesthetic

11. (also intr) cricket to play (a ball) defensively

block More Idioms  

1. see chip off the old block; knock someone's block off; on the block; stumbling block.

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• blocker
  noun
• subblock
  noun
• reblock
  verb (used with object)
• blockable
  adjective
• unblocked
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• blocks
  plural

Participles

• blocking
  present
• blocked
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• block
  simple
• blocks
  simple
• have blocked
  perfect
• has blocked
  perfect
• am blocking
  progressive
• are blocking
  progressive
• is blocking
  progressive
• have been blocking
  perfect progressive
• has been blocking
  perfect progressive

Past

• blocked
  simple
• had blocked
  perfect
• was blocking
  progressive
• were blocking
  progressive
• had been blocking
  perfect progressive

Future

• will block
  simple
• will have blocked
  perfect
• will be blocking
  progressive
• will have been blocking
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of block

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English blok “log, stump,” from Middle French bloc, from Middle Dutch blok; perhaps akin to balk

Explanation

A block is a painted wooden cube that kids build with, or a squarish chunk of anything, like a block of cheese or cement. And if you block someone, you prevent them from going past by getting in the way. A sculptor might carve a bird out of a block of marble, and you might eat a whole block of chocolate after dinner. Another block is the row of buildings or houses between four streets: "I'm walking the dog around the block." When block is a verb it means "to obstruct," like when you block your dog from going near the cat food. All these meanings stem from the Old French root bloc, "block of wood."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

block Block blocks blocked blocking

There, Hodgkinson improved her British record off the back of a training block focused on developing her 400m speed, before beginning her 800m-specific work leading into the summer's main targets.

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

Construction equipment and safety barriers litter the block.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

It also helped unleash an online backlash against the health-insurance industry, particularly authorization requirements that can block patients’ access to costly procedures and drugs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

If you’re 70½ or older, use both: the QCD for annual gifts that offset your RMD, the fund for the multiyear block.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026

As expected, Hord’s hide-arm rose to block it.

From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver

Block described staring up at the gallery wall, transfixed by the horror.

From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026

The flood was strong enough to sweep a 10,000-ton fragment of the dam, called Block 29, a full quarter-mile and to destroy a steel bridge on the Santa Clara River nine miles away.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

Block reported second-quarter revenue of $6.62 billion as growth in commerce and financial solutions offset Bitcoin declines.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

When Block 16 opened back in 2010, a burger cost $8.95.

From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026

Block after block of ceiling lights snapped on, electricity pouring through them after years of existing as nothing more than hollow, dusty veins.

From "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken

For David Harbour, it was the messages pouring in from friends — not the usual “great job!” an actor receives when a program is airing, but long blocks of text, paragraphs dripping with emotion.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026

Nonprofit developers have adopted a strategy of rehabilitating entire blocks at once, and violent crime has plummeted.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026

And they could keep rising for a few more years due to a persistent shortage of the building blocks of AI networks, said Shawn DuBravac, chief economist of the Global Electronics Association.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 15, 2026

Peptides are short chains of amino acids that assemble to form proteins, which are the body's building blocks.

From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026

By the time they were two blocks past the main intersection, Jeremy could hardly see.

From "Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher" by Bruce Coville

Those efforts were blocked by the Revolutionary Guard, which went back to attacking ships.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026

The new Kennedy Center plans must still be presented to the judge who blocked the earlier proposal.

From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026

This would include emergency procedures like appendicitis or a blocked bowel.

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

A judge had also blocked that plan, but said it could be reconsidered after further review.

From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026

“You’ve been pretending that nothing happened. It’s as if you’ve blocked it out of your mind. You’ve been indifferent, gallivanting around with James despite these secrets hanging around your neck.”

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

But one of them has to beat out Shields, who intends to cause a whole lot of trouble blocking opponents over the next two seasons.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026

Wikipedia is also highly cited, but sources tell me the gatekeepers to Wiki pages are even stricter than Reddit mods when it comes to blocking promotional amendments, and rightly so.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

"By blocking access, it's like you've kept fuel away from the fire."

From Science Daily ● Aug. 13, 2026

As a senior, he wants to take his skills to another level, using his size and improved speed to become an all-around back, whether running, blocking or catching passes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026

“So,” said the witch, blocking the path to the stew, “the trouble has begun.”

From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff

Related Words

• arrest
• bar
• blockade
• clog
• close
• close off
• cut off
• deter
• halt
• hinder
• hold up
• impede
• intercept
• prevent
• stall
• stop
• thwart