sock

1 of 3

noun (1)

plural socks
1
archaic : a low shoe or slipper
2
also plural sox ˈsäks How to pronounce sock (audio) : a knitted or woven covering for the foot usually worn under shoes and extending above the ankle and sometimes to the knee
3
a
: a shoe worn by actors in Greek and Roman comedy
b
: comic drama
sockless adjective

sock

2 of 3

verb

socked; socking; socks

transitive verb

: to hit, strike, or apply forcefully
sock a home run
an area socked by a blizzard

intransitive verb

: to deliver a blow : hit

sock

3 of 3

noun (2)

: a vigorous or violent blow
Phrases
sock it to
slang
: to subject to or as if to a vigorous assault
they may let you off the first time … but the second time they'll sock it to youJames Jones

Examples of sock in a Sentence

Noun (1) black socks to go with black pants and shoes Verb kept socking the punching bag until he was exhausted Noun (2) a wiseacre who deserves a good sock in the face
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Penn State proved that Vintage Brand, which sells vintage T-shirts, throwback hats, retro tees, socks, magnets, koozies, mugs, cutting boards and similar products associated with sports teams, infringed PSU’s trademarks by selling products bearing the school’s imagery without permission. Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 21 Nov. 2024 Wear compression garments: These specialized socks, pantyhose, or abdominal binders can help prevent blood from pooling and help blood return to your heart more easily when standing. Heidi Cope, Health, 6 Nov. 2024
Verb
In the top of the fourth inning, the score knotted at 2-2 between two teams scratching for a postseason berth, the 25-year-old, second-season big-leaguer from Venezuela jumped on a 1-2 pitch from right-hander Nathan Eovaldi and socked it to left field for a home run. Steve Buckley, The Athletic, 6 Aug. 2024 In respect to tariffs, dark nudging helps people feel as if our country is socking it to China. Hersh Shefrin, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for sock 

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English socke, from Old English socc, from Latin soccus

Verb

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1700, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun (2)

circa 1700, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sock was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near sock

Cite this Entry

“Sock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sock. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

sock

1 of 3 noun
plural socks also sox ˈsäks How to pronounce sock (audio)
: a knitted or woven covering for the foot usually extending above the ankle and sometimes to the knee

sock

2 of 3 verb
: to hit, strike, or apply forcefully : deliver a blow

sock

3 of 3 noun
: a violent blow : punch
Etymology

Noun

Old English socc "a low shoe or slipper," from Latin soccus (same meaning)

Verb

origin unknown

More from Merriam-Webster on sock

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!