rook Hear it!

rook1 definition

rook (ro̵ok)

noun

  1. a gregarious European crow (Corvus frugilegus) with a bare spot by its bill
  2. a swindler; cheat

Etymology: ME roc < OE hroc, akin to Ger ruch < IE echoic base *ker- > crow, raven

transitive verb, intransitive verb

to swindle, cheat, defraud, etc.

Etymology: prob. from the bird's thievishness

rook2 definition

rook (ro̵ok)

noun

Chess either of the two corner pieces shaped like a castle tower: it can move in a vertical or horizontal direction only over any number of consecutive, unoccupied squares; castle

Etymology: ME rok < OFr roc < Ar rukhkh < Pers rukh

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.