block

A2 · Elementary Countable noun American English

n. an area of a town or city surrounded by four streets.

n. a contiguous group of urban lots or a rectangular area in a city surrounded by streets.

日本語:区画※

“I live just two blocks away from the subway station.”

“The parade marched through the financial district, spanning several city blocks and drawing thousands of spectators.”

B1 · Intermediate Countable noun British English

n. a large building that contains many offices or apartments.

n. a large, often rectangular building divided into separate units such as flats or offices.

“They are building a new office block in the center of town.”

“The residential block was designed with sustainable materials and communal green spaces on every third floor.”

B1 · Intermediate Countable noun

n. something that stops movement or progress.

n. a physical or metaphorical obstacle that prevents passage or progress.

“The fallen tree created a block on the narrow mountain road.”

“The negotiator identified a major block in the peace talks regarding the disputed border territory.”

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Slang · Informal

n. a slang word for a person's head.

n. a slang term for the human head, often used in the context of physical threats.

“Be careful or you'll get your block knocked off.”

“The boxer joked that he was lucky to still have his block attached after such a brutal match.”

A2 · Elementary

v. to stop something from moving through a space or to stop an action from happening.

v. to fill or obstruct a passage so that movement is impossible; to prevent an action or process.

“A large truck was blocking the entrance to the driveway.”

“The opposition party moved to block the new legislation, citing concerns over environmental impact.”

B1 · Intermediate Computing

v. to stop someone from contacting you or seeing your profile online.

v. to bar a user or communication from accessing a service or connecting via digital platforms.

“I had to block him because he kept sending me spam messages.”

“The firewall is configured to block all incoming traffic from unrecognized IP addresses to ensure network security.”

C1 · Advanced Theater Technical

v. to plan where actors stand and move on a stage.

v. to specify the positions and movements of actors for a theatrical or film production.

“The director spent the afternoon blocking the final scene of the play.”

“Properly blocking the sequence was essential to ensure that the lead actor remained in the light during the monologue.”

C2 · Proficiency Technical

v. to stretch or shape something, like a hat or a sweater, into the right form.

v. to shape, stretch, or mould an item—typically clothing or millinery—over a form.

“After knitting the wool sweater, you need to block it so it stays the right size.”

“The hatter used a wooden steam-form to block the felt into a traditional fedora shape.”