rocket Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun any vehicle self-propelled by a rocket engine
    projectile.
  2. noun a jet engine containing its own propellant and driven by reaction propulsion
    rocket engine.
  3. noun erect European annual often grown as a salad crop to be harvested when young and tender
    roquette; Eruca vesicaria sativa; arugula; Eruca sativa; rocket salad; garden rocket.
  4. noun propels bright light high in the sky, or used to propel a lifesaving line or harpoon
    skyrocket.
  5. noun sends a firework display high into the sky
    skyrocket.
  6. verb shoot up abruptly, like a rocket
    skyrocket.
    • prices skyrocketed
  7. verb propel with a rocket

WordNet

Rock"et noun
Etymology
F. roquette (cf. Sp. ruqueta, It ruchetta), fr. L. eruca.
Definitions
  1. (Bot.) (a) A cruciferous plant (Eruca sativa) sometimes eaten in Europe as a salad. (b) Damewort. (c) Rocket larkspur. See below.
Rock"et noun
Etymology
It. rocchetta, fr. rocca a distaff, of German origin. Named from the resemblance in shape to a distaff. See Rock a distaff.
Definitions
  1. An artificial firework consisting of a cylindrical case of paper or metal filled with a composition of combustible ingredients, as niter, charcoal, and sulphur, and fastened to a guiding stick. The rocket is projected through the air by the force arising from the expansion of the gases liberated by combustion of the composition. Rockets are used as projectiles for various purposes, for signals, and also for pyrotechnic display.
  2. A blunt lance head used in the joust. any flying device propelled by the reactive force of hot gases expelled in the direction opposite its motion. The fuel used to generate the expelled gases in rockets may be solid or liquid; rockets propelled by liquid fuels typically have a combustible fuel (such as hydrogen or kerosene) which is combined inside the rocket engine with an oxidizer, such as liquid oxygen. Single liquid fuels (called monopropellants) are also known. Since rockets do not depend on a surrounding fluid medium to generate their thrust, as do airplanes with propellers or jet engines, they may be used for propulsion in the vacuum of space.
Rock"et intransitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Rocketed; present participle & verbal noun Rocketing
Definitions
  1. (Sporting) To rise straight up; said of birds; usually in the present participle or as an adjective. Eng.
    An old cock pheasant came rocketing over me. H. R. Haggard.

Webster 1913