rod

Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Legal, Financial, Acronyms, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

rod

(rŏd)

1. A thin straight piece or bar of material, such as metal or wood, often having a particular function or use, as:

a. A fishing rod.

b. A piston rod.

c. An often expandable horizontal bar, especially of metal, used to suspend household items such as curtains or towels.

d. A leveling rod.

e. A lightning rod.

f. A divining rod.

g. A measuring stick.

h. One of the horizontal elements in a truss system underneath a rail car, especially a freight car.

2. A shoot or stem cut from or growing as part of a woody plant.

a. A stick or bundle of sticks or switches used to give punishment by whipping.

b. Punishment; correction.

a. A scepter, staff, or wand symbolizing power or authority.

b. Power or dominion, especially of a tyrannical nature: "under the rod of a cruel slavery" (John Henry Newman).

5. Abbr. rd

a. A linear measure equal to 5.5 yards or 16.5 feet (5.03 meters). Also called pole².

b. The square of this measure, equal to 30.25 square yards or 272.25 square feet (25.30 square meters).

6. Anatomy Any of various rod-shaped cells in the retina that respond to dim light. Also called rod cell.

7. Microbiology An elongated bacterium; a bacillus.

8. Slang A pistol or revolver.

9. Vulgar Slang A penis, especially when erect.

[Middle English rodd, from Old English.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

rod

(rɒd)

1. a slim cylinder of metal, wood, etc; stick or shaft

2. a switch or bundle of switches used to administer corporal punishment

3. any of various staffs of insignia or office

4. power, esp of a tyrannical kind: a dictator's iron rod.

5. (Plants) a straight slender shoot, stem, or cane of a woody plant

6. (Angling) See fishing rod

7. (Units)

a. a unit of length equal to 5 yards

b. a unit of square measure equal to 30 square yards

8. (Building) a straight narrow board marked with the dimensions of a piece of joinery, as the spacing of steps on a staircase

9. (Mechanical Engineering) a metal shaft that transmits power in axial reciprocating motion: piston rod, con(necting) rod. Compare shaft⁵

10. (Surveying) surveying another name (esp US) for staff¹⁸

11. (Anatomy) Also called: retinal rod any of the elongated cylindrical cells in the retina of the eye, containing the visual purple (rhodopsin), which are sensitive to dim light but not to colour. Compare cone⁵

12. (Microbiology) any rod-shaped bacterium

13. a slang word for penis

14. (Firearms, Gunnery, Ordnance & Artillery) US slang name for pistol¹

15. (Automotive Engineering) short for hotrod

[Old English rodd; related to Old Norse rudda club, Norwegian rudda, rydda twig]

ˈrodˌlike adj

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

rod

(rɒd)

n.

1. a stick, wand, staff, or the like, of wood, metal, or other material.

2. a straight, slender shoot or stem of any woody plant, whether still growing or cut from the plant.

3. a slender bar or tube for draping towels over, suspending curtains, etc.

a. a stick used for measuring.

b. a unit of linear measure, 5½ yards or 16½ feet (5.03 m); pole.

c. a unit of square measure, 30¼ square yards (25.3 sq m); rood.

5. a stick, or a bundle of sticks or switches bound together, used as an instrument of punishment.

6. punishment or discipline.

7. a staff or scepter carried as a symbol of office, authority, etc.

8. authority, sway, or rule, esp. when tyrannical.

9. fishing rod.

10. lightning rod.

11. one of the rodlike cells in the retina of the eye, sensitive to low intensities of light. Compare cone (def. 5).

12. (in plastering or mortaring) a straightedge moved along screeds to even the plaster between them.

13. Bible. a branch of a family; tribe. Ps. 74:2; Jer. 10:16.

14. Slang. a pistol or revolver.

15. a collapsible pole, conspicuously marked with graduations, held upright so that it can be read at a distance by a surveyor.

[before 1150; rodd, late Old English; akin to Old Norse rudda club]

rod

(rŏd)

One of the rod-shaped cells in the retina of the eye of many vertebrate animals. Rods are responsible for the ability to see in dim light. Compare cone.

The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

rod

Also called a wand or blasting rod, this is a tool used by witches and magicians for conjuring and directing energy.

Rod

A unit of length measure, equal to sixteen and a half feet, and often used when measuring land or fencing. A quarter-mile is eighty rods in length, as is a spool of barbed wire.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Noun	1.	rod - a long thin implement made of metal or wood baton, wand - a thin tapered rod used by a conductor to lead an orchestra or choir baton - a hollow metal rod that is wielded or twirled by a drum major or drum majorette connecting rod - a rod that transmits motion (especially one that connects a rotating wheel to a reciprocating shaft) control rod - a steel or aluminum rod that can be moved up or down to control the rate of the nuclear reaction fishing pole, fishing rod - a rod of wood or steel or fiberglass that is used in fishing to extend the fishing line implement - instrumentation (a piece of equipment or tool) used to effect an end kickstand - a swiveling metal rod attached to a bicycle or motorcycle or other two-wheeled vehicle; the rod lies horizontally when not in use but can be kicked into a vertical position as a support to hold the vehicle upright when it is not being ridden pole - a long (usually round) rod of wood or metal or plastic ramrod - a rod used to ram the charge into a muzzle-loading firearm ramrod - a rod used to clean the barrel of a firearm rotating shaft, shaft - a revolving rod that transmits power or motion shaft - a long rod or pole (especially the handle of an implement or the body of a weapon like a spear or arrow) stair-rod - a rod that holds a stair-carpet in the angle between two steps tie rod - either of two rods that link the steering gear to the front wheels wand - a rod used by a magician or water diviner
	2.	rod - any rod-shaped bacterium bacteria, bacterium - (microbiology) single-celled or noncellular spherical or spiral or rod-shaped organisms lacking chlorophyll that reproduce by fission; important as pathogens and for biochemical properties; taxonomy is difficult; often considered to be plants streptobacillus - any of various rod-shaped Gram-negative bacteria
	3.	rod - a linear measure of 16.5 feet perch, pole Britain, Great Britain, U.K., UK, United Kingdom, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - a monarchy in northwestern Europe occupying most of the British Isles; divided into England and Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland; `Great Britain' is often used loosely to refer to the United Kingdom linear measure, linear unit - a unit of measurement of length yard, pace - a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride furlong - a unit of length equal to 220 yards
	4.	rod - a square rod of land perch, pole area unit, square measure - a system of units used to measure areas
	5.	rod - a visual receptor cell that is sensitive to dim light retinal rod, rod cell retina - the innermost light-sensitive membrane covering the back wall of the eyeball; it is continuous with the optic nerve visual cell - one of the cells of the retina that is sensitive to light retinal purple, rhodopsin, visual purple - a red photopigment in the retinal rods of vertebrates; dissociates into retinene by light
	6.	rod - a gangster's pistol gat handgun, pistol, shooting iron, side arm - a firearm that is held and fired with one hand jargon, lingo, patois, argot, vernacular, slang, cant - a characteristic language of a particular group (as among thieves); "they don't speak our lingo"

rod

noun

1. stick, bar, pole, shaft, switch, crook, cane, birch, dowel reinforced with steel rods

2. staff, baton, mace, wand, sceptre It was a witch-doctor's rod.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

rod

noun

A relatively long, straight, rigid piece of metal or other solid material:

bar, bloom, shaft, slab, stick.

Translations

قَضِيبقَضيب، عَصا

prutpryčtyčinkadrát

stangstav

Stab Stäbchen Stange Pimmel Rute

ράβδος βέργα καλάμι πούτσα

kaco

barra vara varilla caña de pescar

keppimittakeppisauvabakteerisauvasolusekoitussauva

tige tringle verge vit zob

מוט מקל

šipka

stöng

verga asta bacchetta barra bastoncello

棒竿鞭杆体杆菌

막대

makšķerenūjastienis

roeroede stang

kjepp stang

pręt

vara barra bastão taco

undiţă

прут стержень тяга удилище удочка

udica

drogribiška palica

palicašipka

stångstav

ไม้หรือแท่งโลหะยาวๆ

çubuk sopa

cái cần

杆

rod

[rɒd] N

1. [of wood] → vara f; [of metal] → barra f; (= fishing rod) → caña f; (= curtain rod) → barra f; (= connecting rod) → biela f (Survey) → jalón m
to rule with a rod of iron → gobernar con mano de hierro
to make a rod for one's own back → hacer algo que después resultará contraproducente
spare the rod and spoil the child → quien bien te quiere te hará llorar
see also spare C3

2. (= measure) medida de longitud = 5,029 metros

3. (US) (= gun) → pipa f, pistola f

4. (US) (Aut) = hotrod

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

rod

[ˈrɒd] n

(gen) → tige f; (wooden) → baguette f; (for curtain, stair carpet) → tringle f

(also fishing rod) → canne f à pêche

rod

→ Stab m, → Stange f; (= switch) → Rute f, → Gerte f; (in machinery) → Stange f; (for punishment, fishing) → Rute f; (symbol of authority) → Stab m; spare the rod and spoil the child (prov) → wer mit der Rute spart, verzieht das Kind (prov); rod bacterium → Stäbchenbakterie f

(= measure) → ˜ Rute f (5,5 Yards)

(dated US sl: = gun) → Schießeisen nt (hum inf)

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

rod

[rɒd] n (wooden, plastic) → bacchetta; (metallic) (Tech) → asta, sbarra; (fishing rod) → canna da pesca; (curtain rod) → bastone m
to rule with a rod of iron → comandare a bacchetta

rod

(rod) noun

a long thin stick or piece of wood, metal etc. an iron rod; a fishing-rod; a measuring-rod.

rod

→ قَضِيب prut stang Stab βέργα caña de pescar keppi tringle šipka barra 棒 막대 stang stang pręt vara стержень stång ไม้หรือแท่งโลหะยาวๆ çubuk cái cần 杆

rod

n. bastoncillo; varilla.

rod

n (bacteria) bacilo; (of the eye) bastón m; (ortho) barra; Harrington — barra de Harrington

References in classic literature ?

"Tree'd at last," thinks Tom, making no answer, and keeping as close as possible, but working away at the rod, which he takes to pieces.

View in context

Then the Crab said to the old fisherman, 'Now take this rod; go and knock with it on a certain mountain; then a black man[6] will come out and ask you what you wish for.

View in context

Then she, the Inkosazana, pointed with the rod of ivory to the gates of ivory; but still they stood before her, not moving.

View in context

``Let your guards attend me,'' he said, ``if you please I go but to cut a rod from the next willow-bush.''

View in context

The stones extend a rod or two into the water, and then the bottom is pure sand, except in the deepest parts, where there is usually a little sediment, probably from the decay of the leaves which have been wafted on to it so many successive falls, and a bright green weed is brought up on anchors even in midwinter.

View in context

JEREMY put on a macintosh, and a pair of shiny goloshes; he took his rod and basket, and set off with enormous hops to the place where he kept his boat.

View in context

For such offenders, if any such there be, a rod of birch is hanging over the fireplace, and a heavy ferule lies on the master's desk.

View in context

Hand me up the two first joints of a masheer rod, and I'll prod it.

View in context

7-10) (33) And you, slayer of Argus, Son of Zeus and Maia, messenger of the blessed gods, bearer of the golden rod, giver of good, be favourable and help us, you and Hestia, the worshipful and dear.

View in context

Clandestinely we made a few bushels of first-rate blasting powder, and I superin- tended my armorers while they constructed a lightning- rod and some wires.

View in context

I found out from the coachman, among other matters, that there was a famous fishing stream near Barkingham; and the first thing I did, on arriving at the town, was to buy a rod and line.

View in context

I repeat that, with your consent, I will change my rod for a fowling- piece, and keep nigh you on the mountain,”

View in context

CITE

Site: Follow: Share:

Open / Close