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rocket

n. · v.
US //ˈɹɑkət// UK //ɹˈɒkɪt// rock·et
  1. 1 space vehicle (n.)
    B1 Intermediate Science

    a powerful vehicle used to travel into space or to carry satellites.

    a vehicle or device propelled by the ejection of burning exhaust gases, used for space flight or as a weapon.

    Example

    The rocket launched from the desert and reached orbit in just a few minutes.

    Example

    Engineers spent years developing the heavy-lift rocket capable of transporting essential supplies to the lunar gateway station.
  2. 2 firework (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a type of firework that shoots high into the air and explodes.

    a pyrotechnic device that ascends into the air before exploding for visual effect.

    Example

    We stood in the garden and watched the rockets explode in bright colors.

    Example

    The display concluded with a barrage of rockets that illuminated the entire harbour in shimmering gold and red.
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  1. 3 salad leaf (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate British English Cooking

    a green leaf with a strong, peppery taste used in salads.

    an edible Mediterranean plant of the mustard family, often used as a salad green.

    Example

    I made a simple salad with fresh rocket, parmesan cheese, and olive oil.

    Example

    The chef recommended a bed of peppery rocket to balance the richness of the grilled goat cheese.

    Usage

    Commonly called 'arugula' in American English.
    • arugula
  2. 4 a reprimand (n.)
    C2 Proficiency British English Informal

    a very strong or angry scolding.

    a severe reprimand or scolding from a person in authority.

    Example

    The manager gave him a real rocket for being late three days in a row.

    Example

    After the disastrous quarterly results, the department head received a rocket from the board of directors during the morning briefing.
  3. 5 to increase quickly (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to rise or increase very fast, like prices or a person's success.

    to increase, rise, or progress at an extremely rapid pace.

    Example

    House prices in this neighborhood have rocketed over the last two years.

    Example

    The young actor's career rocketed after her performance in the independent film won several international awards.
Etymology 1

From Italian rocchetta, from Old Italian rocchetto (“rocket”, literally “a bobbin”), diminutive of rocca (“a distaff”), from Lombardic rocko (“spinning wheel”), from Proto-West Germanic rokkō, from Proto-Germanic rukkô (“a distaff, a staff with flax fibres tied loosely to it, used in spinning thread”). Cognate with Old High German rocco, rocko, roccho, rocho ("a distaff"; > German Rocken (“a distaff”)), Swedish rock (“a distaff”), Icelandic rokkur (“a distaff”), Middle English rocke (“a distaff”). More at rock⁴. For the meaning development, compare fuselage, ultimately from Latin fūsus (“spindle, spinning wheel”).

Etymology 2

Borrowed from French roquette, from Italian ruchetta, diminutive of ruca, from Latin eruca. Cognate to arugula, rucola, eruca, roquette.

Word family
Idioms3 entries

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