Dictionary Home » Dictionary Definitions » rook

rook

Listen See in Thesaurus See in a sentence

(ro̵ok)

noun

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

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

transitive verb, intransitive verb

to swindle, cheat, defraud, etc.

Origin: prob. from the bird's thievishness

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

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

See rook in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

An Old World bird (Corvus frugilegus) that resembles the North American crow and nests in colonies near the tops of trees.
A swindler or cheat, especially at games.

transitive verb rooked, rook·ing, rooks

To swindle; cheat: Customers are afraid of being rooked by unscrupulous vendors.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English rok

Origin: , from Old English hrōc

noun Abbr. R

A chess piece that may move in a straight line over any number of empty squares in a rank or file. Also called castle.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English rok

Origin: , from Old French roc

Origin: , from Arabic ruḫḫ

Origin: , from Persian