3. Fig.: Not easily impressed or affected; hard; unfeeling; obdurate;
as, a rocky bosom. Shak.
Rocky Mountain locust (Zoöl.), the Western locust, or grasshopper. See
Grasshopper. - - Rocky Mountain sheep. (Zoöl.) See Bighorn.
Ro"coa (?), n. [Cf. F. rocou, roicou, Pg. & Braz, urucú.] The orange-
colored pulp covering the seeds of the tropical plant Bixa Orellana,
from which annotto is prepared. See Annoto.
Ro*co"co (?), n. [F.; of uncertain etymology.] A florid style of
ornamentation which prevailed in Europe in the latter part of the
eighteenth century.
Ro*co"co, a. Of or pertaining to the style called rococo; like rococo;
florid; fantastic.
Rod (?), n. [The same word as rood. See Rood.] 1. A straight and
slender stick; a wand; hence, any slender bar, as of wood or metal
(applied to various purposes). Specifically: (a) An instrument of
punishment or correction; figuratively, chastisement.
He that spareth his rod hateth his son.
Prov. xiii. 24.
(b) A kind of sceptor, or badge of office; hence, figuratively, power;
authority; tyranny; oppression. "The rod, and bird of peace." Shak. (c)
A support for a fishing line; a fish pole. Gay. (d) (Mach. & Structure)
A member used in tension, as for sustaining a suspended weight, or in
tension and compression, as for transmitting reciprocating motion,
etc.; a connecting bar. (e) An instrument for measuring.
2. A measure of length containing sixteen and a half feet; -- called
also perch, and pole.
Black rod. See in the Vocabulary. -- Rods and cones (Anat.), the
elongated cells or elements of the sensory layer of the retina, some of
which are cylindrical, others somewhat conical.
Rod"dy (?), a. Full of rods or twigs.
Rod"dy, a. Ruddy. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Rode (?), n. [See Rud.] Redness; complexion. [Obs.] "His rode was red."
Chaucer.
Rode, imp. of Ride.
Rode, n. See Rood, the cross. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Ro"dent (?), a. [L. rodens, - entis, p. pr. of rodere to gnaw. See
Rase, v. t., and cf. Rostrum.] 1. Gnawing; biting; corroding; (Med.)
applied to a destructive variety of cancer or ulcer.