Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for roach. Search instead for Rotch.
Synonyms

roach

1 American  
[rohch] / roʊtʃ /

noun

  1. a cockroach.

  2. Slang. the butt of a marijuana cigarette.

roach 2 American  
[rohch] / roʊtʃ /

noun

plural

roaches,

plural

roach

  1. a European freshwater fish, Rutilus rutilus, of the carp family.

  2. any of various similar fishes, as the golden shiner.

  3. a freshwater sunfish of the genus Lepomis, found in eastern North America.

roach 3 American  
[rohch] / roʊtʃ /

noun

  1. Nautical.

    1. the upward curve at the foot of a square sail.

    2. (loosely) a convexity given to any of the edges of a sail; round.

  2. hair combed up from the forehead or temples in a roll or high curve.

verb (used with object)

  1. to clip or cut off (the mane of a horse); hog.

  2. to comb (hair) into a roach.

Roach 4 American  
[rohch] / roʊtʃ /

noun

  1. Maxwell Max, 1924–2007, U.S. jazz drummer and bandleader.

roach 1 British  
/ rəʊtʃ /

noun

  1. a European freshwater cyprinid food fish, Rutilus rutilus , having a deep compressed body and reddish ventral and tail fins

  2. any of various similar fishes

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
roach 2 British  
/ rəʊtʃ /

noun

  1. short for cockroach

  2. slang the butt of a cannabis cigarette

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
roach 3 British  
/ rəʊtʃ /

noun

  1. the amount by which the leech of a fore-and-aft sail projects beyond an imaginary straight line between the clew and the head

  2. the curve at the foot of a square sail

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Roach 4 British  
/ rəʊtʃ /

noun

  1. Hal , full name Harald Eugene Roach . 1892–1992, US film producer, whose company produced numerous comedy films in the 1920s and 1930s, including those featuring Harold Lloyd and Laurel and Hardy

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of roach1

An Americanism dating to 1830–40 roach 1 for def. 1 and 1940–45 roach 1 for def. 2; shortening of cockroach

Origin of roach2

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English roch(e), from Old French roch(e); further origin uncertain

Origin of roach3

First recorded in 1785–95; origin uncertain; posssibly a development of roach 2 ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Did they see the lack of light under the crack and notice it like a roach?

From Literature

Marcus looks at me like I'm a roach, but strangely, I don't mind.

From Literature

Gregor was sure Tick’s death affected him as little as...well, as swatting a roach affected people in New York.

From Literature

He had a sickening image of trying to sit on the roach and crushing it.

From Literature

The roach took off immediately, and Gregor found himself jogging to keep up with it.

From Literature

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.