Rock crystal

Rock crystal
Rock Rock, n. [OF. roke, F. roche; cf. Armor. roc'h, and AS. rocc.] 1. A large concreted mass of stony material; a large fixed stone or crag. See {Stone}. [1913 Webster]

Come one, come all! this rock shall fly From its firm base as soon as I. --Sir W. Scott. [1913 Webster]

2. (Geol.) Any natural deposit forming a part of the earth's crust, whether consolidated or not, including sand, earth, clay, etc., when in natural beds. [1913 Webster]

3. That which resembles a rock in firmness; a defense; a support; a refuge. [1913 Webster]

The Lord is my rock, and my fortress. --2 Sam. xxii. 2. [1913 Webster]

4. Fig.: Anything which causes a disaster or wreck resembling the wreck of a vessel upon a rock. [1913 Webster]

5. (Zo["o]l.) The striped bass. See under {Bass}. [1913 Webster]

Note: This word is frequently used in the formation of self-explaining compounds; as, rock-bound, rock-built, rock-ribbed, rock-roofed, and the like. [1913 Webster]

{Rock alum}. [Probably so called by confusion with F. roche a rock.] Same as {Roche alum}.

{Rock barnacle} (Zo["o]l.), a barnacle ({Balanus balanoides}) very abundant on rocks washed by tides.

{Rock bass}. (Zo["o]l.) (a) The stripped bass. See under {Bass}. (b) The goggle-eye. (c) The cabrilla. Other species are also locally called rock bass.

{Rock builder} (Zo["o]l.), any species of animal whose remains contribute to the formation of rocks, especially the corals and Foraminifera.

{Rock butter} (Min.), native alum mixed with clay and oxide of iron, usually in soft masses of a yellowish white color, occuring in cavities and fissures in argillaceous slate.

{Rock candy}, a form of candy consisting of crystals of pure sugar which are very hard, whence the name.

{Rock cavy}. (Zo["o]l.) See {Moco}.

{Rock cod} (Zo["o]l.) (a) A small, often reddish or brown, variety of the cod found about rocks andledges. (b) A California rockfish.

{Rock cook}. (Zo["o]l.) (a) A European wrasse ({Centrolabrus exoletus}). (b) A rockling.

{Rock cork} (Min.), a variety of asbestus the fibers of which are loosely interlaced. It resembles cork in its texture.

{Rock crab} (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of large crabs of the genus {C}, as the two species of the New England coast ({Cancer irroratus} and {Cancer borealis}). See Illust. under {Cancer}.

{Rock cress} (Bot.), a name of several plants of the cress kind found on rocks, as {Arabis petr[ae]a}, {Arabis lyrata}, etc.

{Rock crystal} (Min.), limpid quartz. See {Quartz}, and under {Crystal}.

{Rock dove} (Zo["o]l.), the rock pigeon; -- called also {rock doo}.

{Rock drill}, an implement for drilling holes in rock; esp., a machine impelled by steam or compressed air, for drilling holes for blasting, etc.

{Rock duck} (Zo["o]l.), the harlequin duck.

{Rock eel}. (Zo["o]l.) See {Gunnel}.

{Rock goat} (Zo["o]l.), a wild goat, or ibex.

{Rock hopper} (Zo["o]l.), a penguin of the genus {Catarractes}. See under {Penguin}.

{Rock kangaroo}. (Zo["o]l.) See {Kangaroo}, and {Petrogale}.

{Rock lobster} (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of large spinose lobsters of the genera {Panulirus} and {Palinurus}. They have no large claws. Called also {spiny lobster}, and {sea crayfish}.

{Rock meal} (Min.), a light powdery variety of calcite occuring as an efflorescence.

{Rock milk}. (Min.) See {Agaric mineral}, under {Agaric}.

{Rock moss}, a kind of lichen; the cudbear. See {Cudbear}.

{Rock oil}. See {Petroleum}.

{Rock parrakeet} (Zo["o]l.), a small Australian parrakeet ({Euphema petrophila}), which nests in holes among the rocks of high cliffs. Its general color is yellowish olive green; a frontal band and the outer edge of the wing quills are deep blue, and the central tail feathers bluish green.

{Rock pigeon} (Zo["o]l.), the wild pigeon ({Columba livia}) Of Europe and Asia, from which the domestic pigeon was derived. See Illust. under {Pigeon}.

{Rock pipit}. (Zo["o]l.) See the Note under {Pipit}.

{Rock plover}. (Zo["o]l.) (a) The black-bellied, or whistling, plover. (b) The rock snipe.

{Rock ptarmigan} (Zo["o]l.), an arctic American ptarmigan ({Lagopus rupestris}), which in winter is white, with the tail and lores black. In summer the males are grayish brown, coarsely vermiculated with black, and have black patches on the back.

{Rock rabbit} (Zo["o]l.), the hyrax. See {Cony}, and {Daman}.

{Rock ruby} (Min.), a fine reddish variety of garnet.

{Rock salt} (Min.), cloride of sodium (common salt) occuring in rocklike masses in mines; mineral salt; salt dug from the earth. In the United States this name is sometimes given to salt in large crystals, formed by evaporation from sea water in large basins or cavities.

{Rock seal} (Zo["o]l.), the harbor seal. See {Seal}.

{Rock shell} (Zo["o]l.), any species of Murex, Purpura, and allied genera.

{Rock snake} (Zo["o]l.), any one of several large pythons; as, the royal {rock snake} ({Python regia}) of Africa, and the {rock snake} of India ({Python molurus}). The Australian rock snakes mostly belong to the allied genus {Morelia}.

{Rock snipe} (Zo["o]l.), the purple sandpiper ({Tringa maritima}); -- called also {rock bird}, {rock plover}, {winter snipe}.

{Rock soap} (Min.), a kind of clay having a smooth, greasy feel, and adhering to the tongue.

{Rock sparrow}. (Zo["o]l.) (a) Any one of several species of Old World sparrows of the genus {Petronia}, as {Petronia stulla}, of Europe. (b) A North American sparrow ({Puc[ae]a ruficeps}).

{Rock tar}, petroleum.

{Rock thrush} (Zo["o]l.), any Old World thrush of the genus {Monticola}, or {Petrocossyphus}; as, the European rock thrush ({Monticola saxatilis}), and the blue rock thrush of India ({Monticola cyaneus}), in which the male is blue throughout.

{Rock tripe} (Bot.), a kind of lichen ({Umbilicaria Dillenii}) growing on rocks in the northen parts of America, and forming broad, flat, coriaceous, dark fuscous or blackish expansions. It has been used as food in cases of extremity.

{Rock trout} (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of marine food fishes of the genus {Hexagrammus}, family {Chirad[ae]}, native of the North Pacific coasts; -- called also {sea trout}, {boregat}, {bodieron}, and {starling}.

{Rock warbler} (Zo["o]l.), a small Australian singing bird ({Origma rubricata}) which frequents rocky ravines and water courses; -- called also {cataract bird}.

{Rock wren} (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of wrens of the genus {Salpinctes}, native of the arid plains of Lower California and Mexico. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Rock crystal — Crystal Crys tal (kr[i^]s tal), n. [OE. cristal, F. cristal, L. crystallum crystal, ice, fr. Gr. kry stallos, fr. kry os icy cold, frost; cf. AS. crystalla, fr. L. crystallum; prob. akin to E. crust. See {Crust}, {Raw}.] 1. (Chem. & Min.) The… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • rock crystal — Crystal Crys tal (kr[i^]s tal), n. [OE. cristal, F. cristal, L. crystallum crystal, ice, fr. Gr. kry stallos, fr. kry os icy cold, frost; cf. AS. crystalla, fr. L. crystallum; prob. akin to E. crust. See {Crust}, {Raw}.] 1. (Chem. & Min.) The… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • rock crystal — ► NOUN ▪ transparent quartz, typically in the form of colourless hexagonal crystals …   English terms dictionary

  • rock crystal — n. a transparent, esp. colorless, quartz …   English World dictionary

  • rock crystal — transparent quartz, esp. when colorless. [1660 70] * * * Transparent variety of the silica mineral quartz that is valued for its clarity and total lack of colour or flaws. Rock crystal formerly was used extensively as a gemstone, but it has been… …   Universalium

  • rock crystal — kalnų krištolas statusas T sritis chemija apibrėžtis Bespalvis, skaidrus kvarcas. formulė SiO₂ atitikmenys: angl. rock crystal rus. горный хрусталь …   Chemijos terminų aiškinamasis žodynas

  • rock crystal — rock′ crys tal n. mir transparent quartz, esp. when colorless • Etymology: 1660 …   From formal English to slang

  • Rock crystal vase — A rock crystal vase is a vase made of rock crystal. Some such vases were rare expensive items, decorated with gold and jewels, used by royalty in Europe.A rock crystal vase that probably originated in the seventh century was given to William IX… …   Wikipedia

  • Rock crystal ewer — Carved from a single block of rock crystal, this ewer is a work of outstanding quality. It is one of a series that survives in collections across Europe. They are often in cathedral treasuries, where they were rededicated after being captured… …   Wikipedia

  • rock crystal — noun Date: 1666 crystal 1 …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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