Block Definition

blŏk

blocked, blocking, blocks

noun

blocks

Any large, solid piece of wood, stone, or metal, often with flat surfaces.

Webster's New World

A blocklike stand or platform on which hammering, chopping, etc. is done.

A butcher's block, headsman's block.

Webster's New World

An auctioneer's platform.

Webster's New World

Such a piece upon which persons are beheaded.

American Heritage

Any solid piece of material used to strengthen or support.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Antonyms:
opening

verb

blocked, blocking, blocks

To impede the passage or progress of; obstruct.

Webster's New World

To blockade.

Webster's New World

To prevent from happening, succeeding, or progressing.

Blocked every attempt to reform the rules.

American Heritage

To block an opponent.

Webster's New World

To create difficulties for; stand in the way of; hinder.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

adjective

Made or formed in a block or blocks.

Block coal.

Webster's New World

Set out like or involving a city block.

Webster's New World

Having no indentation in address, heading, or paragraphs.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

idiom

go on the block

To be offered for sale.

American Heritage

out of the blocks

From a starting position, as in a race or contest:
The company has in the past been slow out of the blocks to adapt to consumer tastes.

American Heritage

put on the block

To offer for sale.

American Heritage

block up

to fill in (a passage, space, etc.) so as to obstruct
to elevate on blocks

Webster's New World

go to the block

to be beheaded
to be up for sale in an auction

Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Block

Noun

Singular:

block

Plural:

blocks

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Block

go on the block
out of the blocks
put on the block
block up
go to the block
have been around the block
knock someone's block off
on the block
out of the blocks

Origin of Block

From Middle English blok (“log, stump, solid piece”), from Old French bloc (“log, block”), from Middle Dutch blok (“treetrunk”), from Old Saxon *blok (“log”), from Proto-Germanic *blukką (“beam, log”), from Proto-Indo-European *bhulg'-, from *bhelg'- (“thick plank, beam, pile, prop”). Cognate with Old High German bloh, bloc (German Block, “block”), Old English bolca (“gangway of a ship, plank”), Old Norse bǫlkr (Norwegian bolk, “divider, partition”). More at balk.

From Wiktionary
Middle English blok from Old French bloc from Middle Dutch

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition