block
block — noun
1. a section of street running from one crossroads to the next.
a section of street running from one crossroads to the next.
The bank is three blocks east of the train station.
distance in blocks for giving directions
We walked one block and turned left at the pharmacy.
Dr. Patel lives on the next block near the park gate.
The parade stopped traffic for two blocks on Main Street.
- three blocks away
- walk a block
- the next block
Grammar Patterns
one/two/three blocks away
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 2: this sense measures the length along a street, while sense 2 names the whole area inside the surrounding streets.
Common Mistakes
2. all the buildings and land surrounded by four streets in a town.
all the buildings and land surrounded by four streets in a town.
The fire spread across the whole block before sunrise.
whole block = enclosed city area
A new school will fill the empty block by the river.
Food trucks lined one block of old brick warehouses.
Their office rents half a block beside the bus terminal.
- the whole block
- an empty block
- half a block
- area
much broader; it does not specifically suggest streets on every side.
Grammar Patterns
the whole block
half a block
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 1: this sense refers to the enclosed area or the buildings in it, not the distance you travel along one side.
3. a heavy lump of wood, stone, ice, or similar material with flat, straight sides.
a heavy lump of wood, stone, ice, or similar material with flat, straight sides.
Ravi set a heavy block of stone beside the garden wall.
The artist carved a bird from a block of wood.
pattern: a block of wood/stone/ice
Place the hot pan on a metal block, not the table.
Ice blocks kept the fish cold during the market trip.
- block of stone
- block of wood
- ice block
Grammar Patterns
a block of wood/stone/ice
Usage Note
Object is usually a substance named with 'of', especially wood, stone, ice, or metal.
4. a large wooden support used in the past to hold a person's neck during an execut
a large wooden support used in the past to hold a person's neck during an execution by cutting off the head.
The museum showed a block used in public executions.
historical object in execution contexts
In the play, the guard forced the prisoner to put his neck on the block.
The executioner wiped the block clean before the next execution.
At the castle, visitors saw the block where prisoners placed their necks.
- execution block
- kneel at the block
Grammar Patterns
the block
Usage Note
Common only in historical writing, museums, and stories about past punishments.
5. a sizeable building made up of many homes, offices, or special-use sections.
a sizeable building made up of many homes, offices, or special-use sections.
Priya rents a small flat in the red block.
The science block stands behind the school library.
compound noun: science block
Workers cleaned every window in the office block today.
Our clinic moved into the new block near the station.
- office block
- science block
- apartment block
Grammar Patterns
office block
science block
apartment block
Usage Note
Often follows another noun naming purpose, such as office block or science block.
6. a number, amount, or stretch of time treated as one unit for handling or thinkin
a number, amount, or stretch of time treated as one unit for handling or thinking about.
The farmer sold the chairs in blocks of ten.
pattern: in blocks of + number
Tickets are released in small blocks each Friday morning.
The editor moved the photos as one block.
Study the poem in blocks, not line by line.
- blocks of ten
- small blocks
- as one block
Grammar Patterns
in blocks of + number
as one block
Usage Note
Common when people handle items in sets or divide work into manageable units.
7. something stuck in a pipe, tube, or opening that stops flow through it.
something stuck in a pipe, tube, or opening that stops flow through it.
The plumber found a block deep in the kitchen drain.
Hair and soap formed a block in the shower pipe.
obstruction inside a pipe or drain
The scan showed a block in the tube from his kidney.
Engineers cleared the block from the factory drain.
- a block in the airway
- clear the block
- pipe block
- clog
everyday word, especially for drains and pipes.
- obstruction
more formal and broader in meaning.
Grammar Patterns
a block in the pipe
clear the block
Usage Note
Common in medical and technical contexts where liquid, air, or another substance cannot pass through.
8. a defensive move in sport that stops a player or ball going forward.
a defensive move in sport that stops a player or ball going forward.
Hana's block sent the volleyball back over the net.
sports noun for a defensive stop
The crowd cheered after Diego made a clean block.
One late block saved the team in extra time.
The defender's block pushed the shot wide of goal.
- make a block
- a clean block
- shot block
Grammar Patterns
make a block
a clean block
Usage Note
Used for a legal defensive action in games such as basketball, football, or volleyball.
A person who strongly resembles one of their parents in appearance or behavior.
Mia is a chip off the old block; she laughs just like her father.
You're a chip off the old block, Diego—you have your mother's talent for painting.
go on the block
idiomTo be offered for sale, especially at an auction.
The antique vase went on the block and sold for ten thousand dollars.
Will the old farmhouse go on the block next month?
To have a lot of experience in a particular activity or in life generally.
Sara has been around the block a few times, so she knows how to handle difficult clients.
Brian has been around the block; he can fix almost any car problem.
A threat to hit someone hard.
If you touch my bike, I'll knock your block off!
He shouted, "I'll knock your head off if you come any closer!"
A person who is new to a place, group, or organization.
As the new kid on the block, Maya felt nervous on her first day at school.
The company is the new kid on the block, but it already has many customers.
To take a big risk by doing or saying something that could harm your career or reputation.
Aiden put his head on the block by criticizing the manager's decision.
I'm not willing to lay my neck on the block for a risky investment.
block — verb
1. to close a way, opening, or route so people or things cannot get through.
to close a way, opening, or route so people or things cannot get through.
Heavy snow blocked the mountain road before dawn.
A fallen bike blocked the narrow shop entrance all morning.
Sandbags blocked water from reaching the village school.
block + noun + from + -ing
Police blocked both lanes after the bridge cracked.
- block the road
- block the entrance
- block traffic
- completely block
Grammar Patterns
block + road/door/path
block + noun + from + -ing
Usage Note
Object is usually a physical route or opening. Distinguish from sense 3, where the object is a plan, process, or chance of success.
Common Mistakes
2. to stand in front of what someone wants to see and hide it from them.
to stand in front of what someone wants to see and hide it from them.
The tall van blocked my view of the stage.
block someone's view of something
A tree branch blocked the kitchen window at sunset.
Two tourists blocked Aya's camera as the train arrived.
The man in front blocked our view of the screen.
- block the view
- block the window
- block the light
- reveal
used when something becomes visible.
Grammar Patterns
block someone's view
block light
Usage Note
Object is what is hidden from sight, such as a view, window, stage, or source of light.
Common Mistakes
3. to keep a plan, action, or progress from going ahead.
to keep a plan, action, or progress from going ahead.
The strike blocked talks between the company and drivers.
Budget cuts blocked Omar's plan to start night classes.
A court order blocked the sale of the land.
block + plan/sale/progress
Poor Wi-Fi blocked the team from finishing checkout.
- block talks
- block a sale
- block a plan
- block progress
Grammar Patterns
block + talks/sale/plan
block + noun + from + -ing
Usage Note
Object is usually an event, process, negotiation, or attempt. Distinguish from sense 1, where something physical cannot pass through a space.
Common Mistakes
4. to use a legal move in sport to halt an opponent or send the ball away.
to use a legal move in sport to halt an opponent or send the ball away.
The center jumped high and blocked the final shot.
sports use: block a shot
Mei blocked the striker just outside the penalty box.
A defender blocked the ball before it reached goal.
Rohan blocked two passes in the first half.
- block a shot
- block the ball
- block a pass
Grammar Patterns
block a shot
block the ball
block a player
Usage Note
Common in team sports. The action is normally allowed by the rules and happens during active play.
5. to stop a person from taking money out of a bank account.
to stop a person from taking money out of a bank account.
The bank blocked her account after three unusual transfers.
bank blocks an account
Fraud checks blocked Yusuf's account for two days.
The bank temporarily blocked our joint account last week.
The bank blocked Nadia's business account after a name mismatch.
- block an account
- temporarily block
- fraud check blocked
- unblock
used when access is restored.
Grammar Patterns
block an account
Usage Note
Subject is usually a bank, a fraud check, or an official rule. The object is an account or a similar financial tool.
6. to stop calls, texts, emails, or similar messages from reaching you.
to stop calls, texts, emails, or similar messages from reaching you.
I blocked unknown numbers after midnight calls woke the baby.
block numbers, texts, or emails
Theo blocked marketing texts from three clothing apps.
The app blocked spam emails before they reached my inbox.
We blocked that fax number after another empty order arrived.
- block a number
- block texts
- block spam emails
- block unknown callers
- allow
used when messages or calls are permitted through.
Grammar Patterns
block a number
block texts/emails
Usage Note
Object is usually a number, type of message, sender address, or communication channel. Distinguish from sense 7, where the object is a person on a social platform.
Common Mistakes
7. to use a social-media or phone setting so a particular person cannot contact you
to use a social-media or phone setting so a particular person cannot contact you or see your posts.
Lena blocked her ex after the rude comments.
social-media use with a person
I blocked that account when it shared my photo.
The singer blocked several users during the live stream.
Jin blocked a stranger who kept tagging him.
- block an account
- block a user
- block someone online
- block an ex
- unblock
used when the person is allowed to contact you again.
Grammar Patterns
block someone on social media
block an account
Usage Note
Common on social platforms and messaging apps. Distinguish from sense 6: here the focus is cutting off one person's access to you, not simply filtering incoming messages.
Common Mistakes
Word family
- blockedadjectiveB2
- blockingnounC1
- blockagenounC1
- blockernounC1
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
These verbs all involve stopping movement, but they do it in different ways. 'Block' is the broad everyday choice when something gets in the way of a road, door, path, or entrance. 'Bar' often suggests a deliberate barrier or an official refusal, as when guards bar entry. 'Obstruct' is more formal and common in reports, rules, and technical writing. 'Clog' is used when flow stops because material builds up inside a pipe, drain, or narrow opening. 'Seal' means closing something tightly so nothing can pass through at all. A truck can block a lane, wet leaves can clog a drain, and strong tape can seal a box shut.
Common collocations
Phrases
- block the road
- block the view
- block access to
- three blocks away
- block an account
Prepositions
- block from
- block by
- block with
Etymology
English block came into Middle English from Old French 'bloc', probably from a Germanic source related to Middle Dutch 'blok'. It first referred to a log or solid lump of material. From that concrete idea, English later developed the senses of a section of city buildings, a large building unit, and something that stops movement. The verb grew from the noun and originally meant putting a solid barrier in the way. Modern uses such as blocking a road, a view, or online messages still keep that core idea of something being placed so passage or access is cut off.