rocket

¹ American  

[rok-it] / ˈrɒk ɪt /

noun

1. any of various plants belonging to the genus Hesperis, of the mustard family, and related genera.

2. Also called roquette.  Also called rocket salad,.  the arugula plant, used in salads.

3. a noxious weed, Barbarea vulgaris, of the United States, having lobed leaves and clusters of small, yellow flowers.

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rocket ² American  

[rok-it] / ˈrɒk ɪt /

noun

1. any of various simple or complex tubelike devices containing combustibles that on being ignited liberate gases whose action propels the tube through the air: used for pyrotechnic effect, signaling, carrying a lifeline, hurling explosives at an enemy, putting a space vehicle into orbit, etc.

2. a space capsule or vehicle put into orbit by such devices.

3. rocket engine.

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verb (used with object)

1. to move or transport by means of a rocket.

2. to attack with rockets.

verb (used without object)

1. to move like a rocket.

2. (of game birds) to fly straight up rapidly when flushed.

rocket ¹ British  

/ ˈrɒkɪt /

noun

1. a self-propelling device, esp a cylinder containing a mixture of solid explosives, used as a firework, distress signal, line carrier, etc

2. 1. any vehicle propelled by a rocket engine, esp one used to carry a warhead, spacecraft, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      rocket propulsion

      rocket launcher

3. informal a severe reprimand (esp in the phrase get a rocket )

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verb

1. (tr) to propel (a missile, spacecraft, etc) by means of a rocket

2. (intr; foll by off, away, etc) to move off at high speed

3. (intr) to rise rapidly

   he rocketed to the top

rocket ² British  

/ ˈrɒkɪt /

noun

1. Also called: arugula.  a Mediterranean plant, Eruca sativa , having yellowish-white flowers and leaves used as a salad: family Brassicaceae (crucifers)

2. any of several plants of the related genus Sisymbrium , esp S. irio ( London rocket ), which grow on waste ground and have pale yellow flowers

3. any of several yellow-flowered plants of the related genus Barbarea , esp B. vulgaris

4. any of several plants of the related genus Cakile , esp C. maritima , which grow along the seashores of Europe and North America and have mauve, pink, or white flowers

5. another name for dame's violet

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rocket Scientific  

/ rŏk′ĭt /

1. A vehicle or device propelled by one or more rocket engines, especially such a vehicle designed to travel through space.

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Other Word Forms

• rocketlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of rocket¹

First recorded in 1525–35; from French roquette, from Italian ruchetta, ultimately from Latin ērūca kind of herb

Origin of rocket¹

First recorded in 1560–70; from Italian rocchetta, diminutive of rocca “distaff” (with reference to its shape); from Germanic

Example Sentences

SpaceX has its existing business on its side, too: The company essentially invented reusable rockets, dramatically lowering the cost of reaching space and enabling the entire modern-day space economy.

From Barron's

SpaceX, which is now developing the third generation of the reusable 404-foot Starship rocket, has also had difficulty testing its vehicle.

From MarketWatch

SpaceX, which is now developing the third generation of the reusable 404-foot Starship rocket, has also had difficulty testing its vehicle.

From MarketWatch

That can be done as simply as bombarding a drone or rocket with signals that drown out the connection to their operator or satellite guidance.

From The Wall Street Journal

The space giant sees an opportunity to build AI data centers in space, leveraging its dominant position in rocket takeoffs.

From Barron's

Related Words

• ascend
• climb
• escalate
• grow
• lift
• rise
• sail
• skyrocket
• soar
• take off
• zoom