Word: block Part of Speech: verb Etymology: From Middle English blok (“log, stump, solid piece”), from Old French bloc (“log, block”), from Middle Dutch blok (“treetrunk”), from Old Dutch *blok (“log”), from Proto-West Germanic *blokk, from Proto-Germanic *blukką (“beam, log”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰelǵ- (“thick plank, beam, pile, prop”). Cognate with Old Frisian blok, Old Saxon blok, Old High German bloh, bloc (“block”), Old English bolca (“gangway of a ship, plank”), Old Norse bǫlkr (“divider, partition”). More at balk. See also bloc, bulk. Pronunciation: /blɒk/, /blɑk/ 1. To fill or obstruct (something) so that it is not possible to pass. Labels: transitive Example: The pipe was blocked by leaves. Example: You’re blocking the road – I can’t get through! 2. To prevent (something or someone) from passing. Labels: transitive Example: A broken-down car is blocking the traffic. 3. To prevent (something from happening or someone from doing something). Labels: transitive Example: His plan to take over the business was blocked by the boss. Example: Mr. Ip, who was the chairman of the Yau Tsim Mong district council, became a target of protesters in July after he blocked debate on the extradition bill that incited the protests this summer. 4. To impede (an opponent or opponent’s play). Labels: transitive Example: He blocked the basketball player’s shot. Example: The offensive linemen tried to block the blitz. 5. To specify the positions and movements of the actors for (a section of a play or film). Labels: transitive Example: It was very difficult to block this scene convincingly. 6. To hit with a block. Labels: transitive 7. To play a block shot. Labels: intransitive 8. To bar (impose a ban on a person or bot, etc.) from connecting via telephone, instant messaging, etc., or from accessing an online account or service, or similar. Labels: transitive Example: I tried to send you a message, but you’ve blocked me! Example: The user who started the edit war was blocked for a day to cool off. 9. To bar (a message or communication), or bar connection with (an online account or service, a designated telephone number, IP address, etc.). Labels: transitive Example: They’ve blocked all calls to international numbers. Example: Most Internet services have been blocked. 10. To wait for some condition to become true. Labels: intransitive Example: When the condition expression is false, the thread blocks on the condition variable. Example: Post is a “fire and forget” where the UI thread work is performed asynchronously; Send is synchronous in that the call blocks until the UI thread work has been performed. 11. To shape, stretch, or mould knitted items, hats, books (and book covers), shoes, etc. Labels: transitive Example: I blocked the mittens by wetting them and pinning them to a shaped piece of cardboard. Example: Then I finished knitting the socks and wove in all ends for each sock before soaking them in warm water and wool wash for 20 minutes and blocking them on sock blockers. 12. To shape or sketch out roughly. Labels: transitive Example: When drawing a scene, first block the main features, and then fill in the detail. 13. To experience mental block or creative block. Labels: intransitive Example: As I started to read the stories I thought, "I have to write my story," but I blocked on it for six months. I couldn't write anything else while I couldn't write my coming out story. It seemed to me a subterfuge to turn out an anthology of coming out stories which didn't have my story in it. 14. To knock the hat of (a person) down over their eyes. Labels: obsolete, slang, transitive Example: \ 15. To reject or not play into one's scene partner during improv.