noun | verb
blockblock1 /blɑk/ ●●● S2 W2 noun [countable] 1
streets/area a)the distance along a city street from where one street crosses it to the next: My grandmother lived just three blocks away. There’s a good deli just down the block from my office. b)a square area of houses or buildings formed by four streets: Rob took the dog for a walk around the block. There are quite a few families with small children living on the block. The new building will cover an entire city block.the 300/800/2000 block of something (=the area of houses on a particular road that have numbers between 300 and 399, 800 and 899, etc. in their addresses) the 500 block of Stuart Street2solid piece a solid piece of hard material such as wood or stone with straight sides: concrete/cement block a wall made of concrete blocksblock of a block of ice a block of wood► see thesaurus at piece13QUANTITY OF THINGS a quantity of things of the same kind, considered as a unit: block of Each employee was given a block of shares in the company. Jason says he can get a block of seats (=seats next to each other) for the concert. The money is given to the state in the form of a block grant.4a block of time a length of time that is not interrupted by anything: Set aside a block of time to do your homework.5a block of text written sentences on a page or computer screen, considered as a group: Highlight a block of text, then press delete.6TOYS [usually plural] a small piece of wood or plastic, often shaped like a cube, that children use to build things with: Blocks are great for imaginative play. a box full of colorful building blocks7INABILITY TO THINK [usually singular] the temporary loss of your normal ability to think, learn, write, etc.: Some perfectly intelligent people seem to have a mental block when it comes to computers. After her first novel was published, she had writer’s block for a year.8SPORTS a movement in sports that stops an opponent going forward or playing the ball forward9on the block being sold, especially at an auction10somebody has been around the block (a few times) informal used to say that someone has experienced many different situations, and can deal with new situations confidently11block voting an arrangement that is made for a whole group to vote together12LARGE BUILDING a large building divided into separate parts: an apartment block13COMPUTER a physical unit of stored information on a magnetic tape or computer disk14PRINTING a piece of wood or metal with words or line drawings cut into it, for printing15PUNISHMENT the block a solid block of wood on which someone’s head was cut off as a punishment, in past times: He was prepared to go to the block for his beliefs.[Origin: 1300–1400 Old French bloc, from Middle Dutch blok] → see also building block, be a chip off the old block at chip1 (6), chopping block, cinder block, knock somebody’s block off at knock1 (9), the new kid on the block at new (14), roadblock, starting block, stumbling block noun | verb
blockblock2 ●●● S2 W2 verb [transitive] 1 (also block up) to prevent things from moving or flowing through a space by putting something across it or in it SYN obstruct: The accident has blocked two lanes of traffic on the freeway. The sink is blocked up again. surgery to clear a blocked artery2to prevent someone from moving to or toward a place: block somebody’s way/path etc. I tried to get through, but there were too many people blocking my way.3to stop something happening, developing, or succeeding: The group has blocked efforts to restrict gun ownership. The enzyme’s activity can be blocked in cancer cells.4 (also block out) to prevent something from being seen or heard: The chip blocks programs that you do not want your children to watch.5block somebody’s view to be in front of someone so that he or she cannot see something: The view was blocked by two ugly high-rise apartment buildings.6 (also block out) to stop light reaching a place: Could you move over? You’re blocking my light.7to prevent someone from making points, moving forward, or throwing or catching a ball in sports such as basketball, football, or hockey8technical to limit the use of a particular country’s money: a blocked currencyblock something ↔ off phrasal verb to completely close a road or path: Exit 31 is blocked off due to an accident.block something ↔ out1to stop yourself from thinking about something or remembering it: Carrie hears what she wants to hear and blocks out the rest.2to prevent something from being seen or heard: Heavy curtains blocked out the light. Her face was blocked out of TV broadcasts by a large gray circle.3to decide that you will use a particular time only for a particular purpose: I try to block out two days a week for research.4to make a drawing of something that is not exact: Block out the design on the rug using stencils.