rook

¹

[ rook ]

noun

1. a black, European crow, Corvus frugilegus, noted for its gregarious habits.
2. a sharper at cards or dice; swindler.

verb (used with object)

1. to cheat; fleece; swindle.

rook

²

[ rook ]

noun

, Chess.

1. one of two pieces of the same color that may be moved any number of unobstructed squares horizontally or vertically; castle.

rook

¹

/ rʊk /

noun

1. a chesspiece that may move any number of unoccupied squares in a straight line, horizontally or vertically Also calledcastle

rook

²

/ rʊk /

noun

1. a large Eurasian passerine bird, Corvus frugilegus , with a black plumage and a whitish base to its bill: family Corvidae (crows)
2. slang.
   a swindler or cheat, esp one who cheats at cards

verb

1. slang.
   tr to overcharge, swindle, or cheat

Word History and Origins

Origin of rook¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English rok(e), Old English hrōc; cognate with Old Norse hrōkr, Old High German hruoh

Origin of rook²

1300–50; Middle English rok < Old French roc < Arabic rukhkh < Persian rukh

Word History and Origins

Origin of rook¹

C14: from Old French rok , ultimately from Arabic rukhkh

Origin of rook²

Old English hrōc ; related to Old High German hruoh , Old Norse hrōkr

Example Sentences

Nepomniachtchi’s position seemed promising early on, with a strong bishop patrolling acres of space and a rook policing the a-file, the column spanning the western edge of the board.

From FiveThirtyEight

Clocks draining, Carlsen and Nepomniachtchi were locked in an intricate battle for space and material in the board’s southwest corner — an asymmetric skirmish, queen and bishop versus rooks and knight.

From FiveThirtyEight

The grandmasters agreed to a draw in the position below, with their rooks caught in an endlessly repetitive shuffle.

From FiveThirtyEight

The king in the top middle could be reached both by the rook one square to its right and the knight one square down and two squares to its left.

From FiveThirtyEight

As the immunologist Graham Rook is fond of saying, co-evolution invariably leads to codependence.

From The Daily Beast

Beryn was 'in hevy plyghte,' when he only lost a rook for nothing; Tale of Beryn, 1812.

From Project Gutenberg

The Consul had a good rook-rifle with him; and the kavass, a Serb by nationality, was a very good shot with it.

From Project Gutenberg

"Hear, hear," said everybody except the crow, who hated the rook.

From Project Gutenberg

Luke is, doubtless, the stray rook, and a fledgeling hath flown hither from a distant country.

From Project Gutenberg

He was mounted on his old horse, Rook, and looked grim and haggard as a ghost vanishing at the crowing of the cock.

From Project Gutenberg