roach

1
[ rohch ]
See synonyms for roach on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a cockroach.

  2. Slang. the butt of a marijuana cigarette.

Origin of roach

1
An Americanism dating to 1830–40 for def. 1 and 1940–45 for def. 2; shortening of cockroach

Words Nearby roach

Other definitions for roach (2 of 4)

roach2
[ rohch ]

noun,plural roach·es, (especially collectively) roach.
  1. a European freshwater fish, Rutilus rutilus, of the carp family.

  2. any of various similar fishes, as the golden shiner.

  1. a freshwater sunfish of the genus Lepomis, found in eastern North America.

Origin of roach

2
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English roch(e), from Old French roch(e); further origin uncertain

Other definitions for roach (3 of 4)

roach3
[ rohch ]

noun
  1. Nautical.

    • the upward curve at the foot of a square sail.

    • (loosely) a convexity given to any of the edges of a sail; round.

  2. hair combed up from the forehead or temples in a roll or high curve.

verb (used with object)
  1. to clip or cut off (the mane of a horse); hog.

  2. to comb (hair) into a roach.

Origin of roach

3
First recorded in 1785–95; origin uncertain; posssibly a development of roach2

Other definitions for Roach (4 of 4)

Roach
[ rohch ]

noun
  1. Maxwell "Max", 1924–2007, U.S. jazz drummer and bandleader.

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How to use roach in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for roach (1 of 4)

roach1

/ (rəʊtʃ) /


nounplural roaches or roach
  1. a European freshwater cyprinid food fish, Rutilus rutilus, having a deep compressed body and reddish ventral and tail fins

  2. any of various similar fishes

Origin of roach

1
C14: from Old French roche, of obscure origin

British Dictionary definitions for roach (2 of 4)

roach2

/ (rəʊtʃ) /


noun
  1. short for cockroach

  2. slang the butt of a cannabis cigarette

British Dictionary definitions for roach (3 of 4)

roach3

/ (rəʊtʃ) /


nounnautical
  1. the amount by which the leech of a fore-and-aft sail projects beyond an imaginary straight line between the clew and the head

  2. the curve at the foot of a square sail

Origin of roach

3
C18: of unknown origin

British Dictionary definitions for Roach (4 of 4)

Roach

/ (rəʊtʃ) /


noun
  1. Hal, full name Harald Eugene Roach . 1892–1992, US film producer, whose company produced numerous comedy films in the 1920s and 1930s, including those featuring Harold Lloyd and Laurel and Hardy

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