rocket 
the same composition, but witli a conical head containing 
stars of various ingredients and colors, and a quantity of 
powder which, when the rocket has attained its greatest 
height, hursts the cylinder, when the ignited stars spread 
thnmi;h the air and cast a brilliant or colored light pro- 
ducing a beautiful effect. These rockets are used in sig- 
naling or for mere pyrotechnic display. Rockets are kept 
point foremost in their flight by means of a stick project- 
ing behind, which acts in the same way as the shaf t of an 
arrow. 
To the head of such rockets may be placed petards, balls 
of fire, granadoes, etc., and so may be applied to warlike 
affairs. Mathematical Recreations (1674). 
And the final event to himself lliurkel has been that, as 
he rose like a rocket, he fell like the stick. 
T. Paine, Letters to the Addressers. (Bartlett.) 
2. The lever by which a forge-bellows is in- 
fl ated. Congreve rocket, a large rocket having a shell 
of sheet- iron and carrying charges of canister-shot, bul- 
lets, and other missiles. Sir William Congreve, who first 
introduced this weapon into warfare, and from whom its 
name is derived, caused sizes to be constructed ranging 
from 12 to 32 pounds, with sticks for the larger sizes 20 feet 
in length. The first notable use of Congreve rockets was 
at Copenhagen in 1807, and among the then-existing means 
of attack it proved a very formidable weapon. The com- 
position used in these rockets is saltpeter, sulphur, and 
charcoal ; and they sometimes have a metal head loaded 
with a bursting-charge very destructive in a fortress or 
town. Modern improvements in ordnance have supplied 
more efficient means of attack, and rockets are now used 
in warfare chiefly as a means for signaling. 
rocket 1 (rok'et), v. i. [< rocket 1 , n.] To fly 
straight up rapidly when flushed, as a pheasant. 
The driven partridge and the rocketing pheasant are be- 
yond the skill of many a man who considers himself a very 
fair shot. Quarterly Rev., CXXVII. 387. 
Presently an old cock-pheasant came rocketing over me, 
looking as though the feathers were all being blown out 
of his tail. Harper's Mag., LXXVII. 182. 
rocket 2 (rok'et), n. [Early mod. E. rokat; < 
OF. roquette, F. roquette = Sp. roqueta, ruqueta, 
< It. ruchetta, the herb rocket, dim. of ruca, gar- 
den-rocket, < L. eruca, a species of colewort: 
see Eruca.] 1. In old usage, the salad-plant 
Eruca sativa. See Eruca. 
2. In modern usage, a plant 
of the genus Hesperis, chief- 
ly H. matronalis, also called 
dame's-violet or -rocket, gar- 
den-rocket, or white rocket. 
This is a somewhat coarse stan- 
dard garden plant with racemes of 
rather large flowers, which are fra- 
grant after dark. They are natural- 
ly pinkish and single, but in culti- 
vation have double varieties both 
white and purple. H. tristis is the 
night-scented rocket or stock. 
3. One of various other 
plants, chiefly Cruciferse. 
See phrases Bastard rocket, 
a European weed, Brassica Eru- 
castrum. Crambling rocket, 
the name in some old herbals of 
Reseda lutea, probably with the 
sense of ' scrambling rocket, ' trans- 
lating the old name Eruca pere- 
grina. Britton and Holland, Eng. 
Plant-Names. Cress-rocket, any 
of the three species of Velta, a 
Spanish cruciferous genus. Dame'S-rocket. See def. 2, 
above. Dyer's rocket. Same as dyer"s-weed. Night- 
scented rocket. See def. 2, above. Wall-rocket, Kplo- 
taxis temdfolia, a bushy mustard-plant on old walls, etc. 
White rocket. See def. 2, above. winter rocket. 
See yellow-rocket. (See also base-rocket, London-rocket, sea- 
rocket, and yellow-rocket.) 
rocket 3 (rok'et), re. An obsolete or dialectal 
form of rochet 1 . 
rocket 4 (rok'et), u. [Origin not ascertained.] 
A portion. Halliwell. [Prov. Eng.] 
rocket-bird (rok'et-berd). n. [< rocket 1 + bird.} 
The Indian paradise flycatcher, Terpsiphone 
(formerly Tchitrea) paradisi. See cut under 
Terpsiphone. [Anglo-Indian.] 
In the mango topes were procured examples of the 
Paradise flycatcher (Tchitrsea paradisi), generally yclept 
the rocket-bird by our countrymen. 
The Field (London), April 4, 1885. 
rocket-case (rok'et-kas), re. A stout case, made 
of cardboard or cartridge-paper, for holding the 
materials of a rocket. 
rocket-drift (rok'et-drift), )/. In pyrotechny, a 
copper-tipped wooden rammer which is driven 
by a mallet in packing the composition in the 
cases of rockets. 
rocketer (rok'et-er), n. [< rocket 1 + -er 1 .] A 
bird that rises rapidly and flies straight up 
5207 
rock-falcon (rok'fa/'ku), n. See falcon. 
rock-fever (rok'fe"ver), n. Intermittent fever. 
rock-fire (rok'fir), n. Inpyrotechny, a composi- 
tion of resin (three parts), sulphur (four parts), 
niter (ten parts), and regulus of antimony and 
turpentine (each one part). It burns slowly and is 
extinguished with difficulty. It is used in military opera- 
tions for setting fire to ships, buildings, magazines, etc., 
and can be charged in cases or shells to be thrown from 
artillery, or it may be used with rockets. 
rockfish (rok'fish), n. 1. A name of several 
fishes which are found about rocks, (a) The 
striped-bass, Roccus lineatus, a fine game-fish highly es- 
teemed for the table. See Roccus, and cut under bassl. 
[U.S.] (6) One of several different wrasses. [Eng.] (c) 
The black goby. [Eng.] (d) The killiflsh or May-fish, Hy- 
drargyra majalis. [Local, U.S.] (e) The log- perch or hog- 
fish, Percina caprodes. [Local, U.S.] (/) Any scorpsenoid 
fish of the genus Sebastodes or Sebastichthys and related 
genera; as a collective name, the Scorpsenidx in general. 
These rockflsh are especially numerous on the Pacific 
coast of North America, on rocky bottoms, and are eco- 
nomically important. Some specific names into which 
rockfish enters are S.fiavidits, the yellow-tailed, also called 
rock-cod; S. mystinus, the black ; S. pinniger, the orange ; 
5. ruber, the red ; S. rastrelliger, the grass-rockfish. See 
also boccaccio, jacki, Q (c\ priest-fish, viuva, garrupa,fiiaum, 
rasher'2, tambor, corsair, fly-fish, rena, tree-fish, Spanish- 
flag. (3) One of various species of serranids. [Local, U.S.] 
2. A codfish split, washed, and dried on the 
rocks. Banded rockflsh, Sebastomus fasciatus. 
Black rockflsh, Sebastichthys inelanops, the priest-fish. 
See cut under priest-fish. [Pacific coast, IT. S.] Grass- 
rockfish, one of several species of Sebastichthys or rock- 
The Inflorescence of 
Rocket (Hesperis 
Ironalis}. 
^J 
Grass-rockfish (Sebastichthys nigrocinctus}. 
cod, as nigrocinctus. [Pacific coast.] Green rock- 
fish, the cultus-cod. Ked rockflsh, a serranoid, Triso- 
tropis guttatw. [Bermudas.] Rosy rockflsh, Sebasto- 
mus rosaceus. [California.] 
rockfishing (rok 'fish "ing), . [< rockfish + 
-ing 1 .] The act or art of taking rockfish. 
rock-flint (rok'flint), re. Same as chert. 
rock-flour (rok'flour), re. Same as rock-meal. 
rock-gas (rok'gas), re. See gas. 
rock-goat (rok'got), re. A goat which makes 
its home among rocks ; an ibex. Holland. 
rock-goose (rok'gos), n. Same as kelp-goose. 
rockhair (rok'har), re. A rock-loving lichen, 
Alectoria jubata. See Alectoria^. 
rock-harmonicon (rok'har-mou'i-kon), re. A 
musical instrument consisting of a graduated 
series of pieces of rock-crystal, which are 
sounded by blows from hammers. Compare 
lapideon. 
rock-hawk (rok'hak), re. The merlin or stone- 
falcon, Falco sesalon or F. lithofalco. See cut 
under merlin. 
rock-head (rok'hed), re. Bed-rock. [Bare, Eng.] 
It Is seldom that the geologist has an opportunity of 
seeing a complete section down to the rock-head in such a 
place. Croll, Climate and Time, p. 467. 
rock-hearted (rok'har"ted), . Hard-hearted; 
unfeeling. 
rock-hopper (rok'hop'er), re, A curl-crested 
penguin ; a penguin of the genus Eudyptes, as 
E. chrysocome or E. chrysolopha; a macaroni: 
so called by seamen from the way they hop 
over the rocks in places where they congregate 
to breed. See cut under Eudyptes. 
rock-hopping (rok'hop"ing), re. See the quota- 
tion. 
The end of the rope is thrown to a boat just outside the 
breakers, and the raft of blubber is towed to the tender or 
vessel. This rafting process is called by the sealers rock 
hopping. Fisheries oflf.S., V. ii. 437. 
rockie (rok'i), H. The rock-lintie or twite. 
[Scotch.] 
rockier (rok'i-er), re. Same as rocker 1 . 
rockinessMrok'i-nes), n. [< rocky 1 + -ness.] The 
r -^, _- state of being rocky, or abounding with rocks. 
when flusheu, as a pheasant may do. [Eng.] rockineas 2 (k'i-nes), re. [< rock^ + -ness.] 
rocket-harpoon (rok et-har-pou") ; . In whal- The condition or sensations of one who is rocky, 
as from drinking. See rocky' 2 -. [Slang.] 
rocking 1 (rok'iug), re. [< rock 1 + -ing 1 .] The 
mass of stone or ballast laid to form the under- 
stratum of a road. 
rocking 2 (rok 'ing), H. [ME. "rocki/nge, rog- 
i/ynge; verbal n. of rock 2 , r.] 1. The act of 
one who or of that which rocks; the act of sway- 
ing, a harpoon propelled by a rocket. It carries 
at its point a shell, which is exploded by a time-fuse. The 
projectile is fired from a tube, or from the shoulder by 
means of a special form of gun. 
rocket-larkspur (rok'et -liirk'sper), ii. See 
larks/inr. 
rock-faced (rok'fast), a. In masonry, same as 
quarry-faced. See ashler, 3. 
rock-lychnis 
ing backward and forward. 2. The abrading 
of the surface of a copper or steel plate with 
a rocker, preparatory to scraping a mezzotint. 
3. The motion by which the design on a steel 
mill is transferred to a copper cylinder to be 
used in calico-printing. Compare mill 1 , 7. 
rocking 3 (rok'ing), n. [< rock s + -ing 1 .] An 
evening party in the country: so called from 
the practice once prevalent among the women 
of taking their rocks (distaffs) with them and 
spinning. [Scotch.] 
On Fasten-e'en we had a rockin', 
To ca' the crack and weave our stockin'. 
Burns, First Epistle to J. Lapraik. 
rocking-bar (rok'ing-bar), n. A bar supporting 
a grate in a furnace, so arranged that, when 
desired, the grate will rock or tip over. 
rocking-heam (rok'ing-bem), re. In Wheat- 
stone's automatic transmitter, an oscillating 
beam by the motion of which momentary con- 
tacts between the battery and the line-wire are 
made. 
rocking-chair (rok 'ing -char), re. A chair 
mounted upon rockers. 
He has extracted a particularly important one, and lean- 
ing back in his rocking-chair that cradle for grown-up 
babies is obeying my Lord Bacon and inwardly digesting 
the same. W. it. Baiter, New Timothy, p. 32. 
rocking-horse (rok'ing-hdrs), n. A wooden 
horse mounted on rockers for the recreation 
of children; a hobby-horse. 
rocking-pier (rok'ing-per), re. In metallic-bridge 
construction, a pier which is fastened by a mov- 
able joint to the truss which it supports, and 
has its lower end supported by a hinged shoe, 
so that it may rock slightly from the vertical 
position as the superstructure expands or con- 
tracts when exposed to changes of temperature. 
The device obviates the necessity of supporting metal 
trusses on rollers or sliding plates resting on rigid piers. 
rocking-shaft (rok'ing-shaft), w. Same as rock- 
shaft. 
A pair of those levers, to act on the two link motions 
at once, project from the rocking-shaft. 
Rankine, Steam Engine, 388. 
rocking-tree (rok'ing-tre), n. In weaving, the 
axle from which the lay of a loom is suspended. 
E. H. Knight. 
rockish (rok'ish), a. [< rock 1 + -ish 1 .] Rocky. 
[Bare.] 
His carcasse on rockish pinnacle hanged. 
Stanihurst, .lEneid, ii. 714. (Davies.) 
rock-kangaroo (rok'kang-ga-ro"), M. A general 
name for the whallabees, or small kangaroos of 
the genus Halmaturus and (especially) of the 
genus Petrogale. See cut under Petrogale. 
rock-kelp (rok'kelp), n. Same as roekweed. 
rock-knotweed (rok'nof'wed), . See Polygo- 
num. 
rock-lark (rok'lark), n. See lark 1 and rock-pipit. 
rocklay (rok' la), n. Same as roquelaure. 
rock-leather (rok'leTH"er), re. Same as rock- 
cork. 
reckless (rok'les), a. [< rock 1 + -less.] Des- 
titute of rocks. 
I'm clear by nature as a rockless stream. 
Dryden and Lee, Duke of Guise, iii. 1. 
rocklet (rok'let), n. [< rock 1 + -let.] A small 
rock. Sulwer. (Imp. Diet.) 
rock-lever (rok'lev'er), re. An equalizing-bar 
with a knuckle-joint in the middle of the rear. 
Car-Builder's Diet. See cut under ratchet-wheel. 
rocklier (rok'li-er), . Same as roquelaure. 
rock-lily (rok'lil'i), re. 1. A tropical American 
cryptogamous plant, Selaginella convoluta: so 
called from its rosette of densely tufted stems. 
2. In Australia, a showy white-flowered or- 
chid, Dendrobium speciosum, growing on rocks. 
It has large pseudobulbs, said to be eaten by 
the natives. 
rock-limpet (rok'liin"pet), re. A limpet which 
adheres to rocks ; a patella, as Patella vulgaris, 
the common limpet. See cuts under patella and 
patelliform. 
rockling (rok'ling), n. [< rock 1 + ling 1 .] A 
gadoid fish of the genus Onos or Motella; a whis- 
tlefish ; a sea-loach. Several species are distin- 
guished by the number of their barbels, as three-bearded, 
four-bearded, five-bearded. Also called gade. 
rock-lintie (rok'lin"ti), re. 1. The twite, Lino- 
ta flavirostris. Also rockie. 2. The rock-lark 
or rock-pipit, Antltus obscurus. [Scotch in both 
senses.] 
rock-lobster (rok'lob'ster), n. See lobster, 2, 
and cut under Palinurus. 
rocklow (vok'16), . Same as roquelaure. 
rock-lychnis (rok'lik"nis), . Any one of cer- 
tain species of Lychnis, once considered to form 
a genus f'ixetiria. 
