sock
A piece of clothing made from soft material that covers your foot and the lower part of your leg
He wore odd socks, one red and one yellow.
Oxford Essential Dictionary
sock
noun
a thing that you wear on your foot, inside your shoe:
a pair of socks
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
sock
I. sock1 S3 /sɒk $ sɑːk/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Sense 1,3-4: Language: Old English; Origin: socc, from Latin soccus 'light shoe']
[Sense 2,5: Date: 1600-1700; Origin: ⇨ ↑sock2]
1. a piece of clothing made of soft material that you wear on your foot inside your shoe:
a pair of socks
white ankle socks
2. knock/blow sb’s socks off informal to surprise and excite someone very much:
a new band that will knock your socks off
3. pull your socks up especially British English informal to make an effort to improve your behaviour or your work:
If they want promotion, United have got to pull their socks up.
4. put a sock in it informal used to tell someone in a joking way to stop talking or making a noise
5. informal a hard hit, especially with your hand closed:
Larry gave him a sock on the arm.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ phrases
▪ a pair of socks He had a spare pair of socks in his gym bag.
▪ shoes and socks We took off our shoes and socks and waded in the stream.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + sock
▪ ankle/knee socks The girls wore navy dresses and white ankle socks.
▪ thick socks Wear thick socks and boots.
▪ woollen/cotton/nylon socks Cotton socks are better for your feet.
▪ odd socks (=socks that are not a pair) He was wearing odd socks – one blue one and one black one.
■ verbs
▪ wear socks He always wore red socks.
▪ put your socks on She sat on the bed beside him, putting on her socks.
▪ take your socks off My feet got so hot and sweaty I took my trainers and socks off.
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
sock
sock [sock socks socked socking] noun, verb [sɒk] [sɑːk]
noun
1. a piece of clothing that is worn over the foot, ankle and lower part of the leg, especially inside a shoe
• a pair of socks
2. (informal) a strong blow, especially with the fist
• He gave him a sock on the jaw.
more at pull your socks up at pull v.
Word Origin:
Old English socc ‘light shoe’, of Germanic origin, from Latin soccus ‘comic actor's shoe, light low-heeled slipper’, from Greek sukkhos.
Example Bank:
• He wore odd socks, one red and one yellow.
• a pair of white tube socks
• He gave Mike a sock on the jaw.
Idioms: blow somebody's socks off ▪ put a sock in it ▪ sock it to somebody
Derived: sock something away
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
sock / sɒk / / sɑːk / noun [ C ] (CLOTHES)
sock
A2 a piece of clothing made from soft material that covers your foot and the lower part of your leg:
a pair of socks
nylon/woollen/cotton socks
thermal socks
ankle/knee socks
Put on your shoes and socks.
The little boy was wearing odd ( US usually mismatched ) socks (= socks of different colours) .
See picture clothes 3
sock / sɒk / / sɑːk / noun [ C usually singular ] old-fashioned slang (HIT)
a powerful hit:
a sock on the jaw
© Cambridge University Press 2013
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary
sock
/sɒk/
(socks)
Socks are pieces of clothing which cover your foot and ankle and are worn inside shoes.
...a pair of knee-length socks.
N-COUNT
Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary
2sock noun, pl socks [count] informal : a hard hit with the fist : punch
- usually singular
• She gave him a sock in the jaw/stomach.
- compare 1sock
1sock /ˈsɑːk/ noun, pl socks [count] : a piece of clothing that is worn on your foot and that covers your ankle and sometimes the lower part of your leg
• a white cotton sock
- usually plural
• a pair of socks
• wool/ankle/athletic socks
- see color picture
- see also bobby socks, tube sock
knock/blow your socks off informal : to affect or impress you in a very strong and favorable way
• This song will knock your socks off. [=you will enjoy this song very much]
put a sock in it informal
- used to tell someone to stop talking
• I wish someone would tell him to put a sock in it.
- compare 2sock
