block

Definitions

• A substantial, often approximately cuboid, piece of any substance.
• A chopping block; cuboid base for cutting or beheading.
• A group of urban lots of property, several acres in extent, not crossed by public streets.
• A residential building consisting of flats.
• The distance from one street to another in a city that is built (approximately) to a grid pattern.
• Interference or obstruction of cognitive processes.
• (slang) The human head.
• A wig block: a simplified head model upon which wigs are worn.
• A mould on which hats, bonnets, etc., are shaped.
• A set of sheets (of paper) joined together at one end.
• (computing) A logical data storage unit containing one or more physical sectors (see cluster).
• (programming) A region of code in a program that acts as a single unit, such as a function or loop.
• (cryptography) A fixed-length group of bits making up part of a message.
• (nautical) A case with one or more sheaves/pulleys, used with ropes to increase or redirect force, for example, as part of the rigging of a sailing ship.
• (chemistry) A portion of a macromolecule, comprising many units, that has at least one feature not present in adjacent portions.
• Something that prevents something from passing.
• (sports) An action to interfere with the movement of an opposing player or of the object of play (ball, puck).
• (cricket) A shot played by holding the bat vertically in the path of the ball, so that it loses momentum and drops to the ground.
• (volleyball) A defensive play by one or more players meant to deflect a spiked ball back to the hitter’s court.
• (philately) A joined group of four (or in some cases nine) postage stamps, forming a roughly square shape.
• A section of split logs used as fuel.
• (UK) solitary Solitary confinement.
• A cellblock.
• (falconry) The perch on which a bird of prey is kept.
• (printing) A piece of hard wood on which a stereotype or electrotype plate is mounted.
• (obsolete) A blockhead; a stupid fellow; a dolt.
• (rail) A section of a railroad where the block system is used.
• (cricket) The position of a player or bat when guarding the wicket.
• (cricket) A blockhole.
• (cricket) The popping crease.
• (viticulture) A discrete group of vines in a vineyard, often distinguished from others by variety, clone, canopy training method, irrigation infrastructure, or some combination thereof.