sock

¹

[ sok ]

noun

, plural socks sox [soks].

1. a short stocking usually reaching to the calf or just above the ankle.
2. a lightweight shoe worn by ancient Greek and Roman comic actors.
3. comic writing for the theater; comedy or comic drama. Compare buskin ( def 4 ).
4. Furniture. a raised vertical area of a club or pad foot.
5. sock puppet ( def 3 ).

sock

²

[ sok ]

verb (used with object)

1. to strike or hit hard.

noun

1. a hard blow.
2. a very successful show, performance, actor, etc.:

   The show was a sock.

adjective

1. extremely successful:

   a sock performance.

verb phrase

1. to close or ground because of adverse weather conditions:

   The airport was socked in.

2. to put into savings or reserve.

sock

¹

/ sɒk /

noun

1. a cloth covering for the foot, reaching to between the ankle and knee and worn inside a shoe
2. an insole put in a shoe, as to make it fit better
3. a light shoe worn by actors in ancient Greek and Roman comedy, sometimes taken to allude to comic drama in general (as in the phrase sock and buskin ) See buskin
4. another name for windsock
5. pull one's socks up informal.
   to make a determined effort, esp in order to regain control of a situation
6. put a sock in it slang.
   be quiet!

verb

1. tr to provide with socks
2. socked in slang.
   (of an airport) closed by adverse weather conditions

sock

²

/ sɒk /

verb

1. usually tr to hit with force
2. sock it to
   to make a forceful impression on

noun

1. a forceful blow

Other Words From

• sockless adjective
• sockless·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of sock¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English sok, socke, Old English socc “light shoe, slipper, stocking,” from Latin soccus

Origin of sock²

First recorded in 1690–1700; origin uncertain

Word History and Origins

Origin of sock¹

Old English socc a light shoe, from Latin soccus, from Greek sukkhos

Origin of sock²

C17: of obscure origin

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. knock one's / the socks off. knock ( def 29 ).

Example Sentences

Two and a half years ago this was just a sock, underwear and a lounge kind of company.

From The Daily Beast

Based on his sock puppet, I expected him to be a burly bearded giant clad in plaid—basically, a Canadian Paul Bunyan.

From The Daily Beast

A food court in a suburban mall seemed like a good place to meet Ed the Sock.

From The Daily Beast

Still, Ed the Sock is more active on Twitter these days, where he has more than 14 thousand followers.

From The Daily Beast

The duo first met in 1997 when Kerzner was playing Ed the Sock live.

From The Daily Beast

The boy was hurt; my heart went out to him, for the memory of my own sock-ball and tickley-bender days came back to me.

From Project Gutenberg

"I was playin' sock-ball," snuffled the boy, and a solitary tear rolled down his snub nose.

From Project Gutenberg

In spite of all they've spiled, I'd be nigh $500 ahead o' the game if I could git out o' camp with what I've got in my sock.

From Project Gutenberg

"Fudge on your everlasting knitting," said Sal, snatching the sock from Mary's hands and making the needles fly nimbly.

From Project Gutenberg

A service-sock requires three skeins of knitting-yarn for two pairs, with No. 11 steel needles.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• belt