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rod

rods

A rod is a bar or a stick, like the curtain rods in your windows or the steel rods inside the structure of a building that help make it sturdy.

A rod can be a staff, like a walking stick, or a metal bar used in construction projects. In tarot card decks, rods are are a suit that's also known as "wands" or "batons." You fish with a rod too, a long flexible pole. Most parents today disagree with the old-fashioned saying, "Spare the rod and spoil the child," which basically means "your kid will be spoiled if you don't hit them with a stick now and then."

Definitions of rod
  1. noun
    a long thin implement made of metal or wood
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    types:
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    baton, wand
    a thin tapered rod used by a conductor to lead an orchestra or choir
    baton
    a hollow metal rod that is wielded or twirled by a drum major or drum majorette
    connecting rod
    a rod that transmits motion (especially one that connects a rotating wheel to a reciprocating shaft)
    control rod
    a steel or aluminum rod that can be moved up or down to control the rate of the nuclear reaction
    fishing pole, fishing rod
    a rod of wood or steel or fiberglass that is used in fishing to extend the fishing line
    kickstand
    a swiveling metal rod attached to a bicycle or motorcycle or other two-wheeled vehicle; the rod lies horizontally when not in use but can be kicked into a vertical position as a support to hold the vehicle upright when it is not being ridden
    pole
    a long (usually round) rod of wood or metal or plastic
    ramrod
    a rod used to ram the charge into a muzzle-loading firearm
    ramrod
    a rod used to clean the barrel of a firearm
    rotating shaft, shaft
    a revolving rod that transmits power or motion
    shaft
    a long rod or pole (especially the handle of an implement or the body of a weapon like a spear or arrow)
    stair-rod
    a rod that holds a stair-carpet in the angle between two steps
    tie rod
    either of two rods that link the steering gear to the front wheels
    wand
    a rod used by a magician or water diviner
    axle
    a shaft on which a wheel rotates
    barge pole
    a long pole used to propel or guide a barge
    boom, microphone boom
    a pole carrying an overhead microphone projected over a film or tv set
    caber
    a heavy wooden pole (such as the trunk of a young fir) that is tossed as a test of strength (in the Highlands of northern Scotland)
    camshaft
    has cams attached to it
    clothes tree, coat stand, coat tree
    an upright pole with pegs or hooks on which to hang clothing
    crankshaft
    a rotating shaft driven by (or driving) a crank
    driveshaft
    a rotating shaft that transmits power from the engine to the point of application
    fly rod
    a long flexible fishing rod used in fly fishing
    mast
    any sturdy upright pole
    piston rod
    connecting rod that moves or is moved by a piston
    ski pole
    a pole with metal points used as an aid in skiing
    spar
    a stout rounded pole of wood or metal used to support rigging
    arbor, mandrel, mandril, spindle
    any of various rotating shafts that serve as axes for larger rotating parts
    spinning rod
    a fishing rod designed for casting a spinning lure
    stilt
    one of two stout poles with foot rests in the middle; used for walking high above the ground
    thill
    one of two shafts extending from the body of a cart or carriage on either side of the animal that pulls it
    transmission shaft
    rotating shaft that transmits rotary motion from the engine to the differential
    type of:
    implement
    instrumentation (a piece of equipment or tool) used to effect an end
  2. noun
    a linear measure of 16.5 feet
    synonyms: perch, pole
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    type of:
    linear measure, linear unit
    a unit of measurement of length
  3. noun
    a square rod of land
    synonyms: perch, pole
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    type of:
    area unit, square measure
    a system of units used to measure areas
  4. noun
    a visual receptor cell that is sensitive to dim light
    synonyms: retinal rod, rod cell
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    type of:
    visual cell
    one of the cells of the retina that is sensitive to light
  5. noun
    any rod-shaped bacterium
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    types:
    streptobacillus
    any of various rod-shaped Gram-negative bacteria
    type of:
    bacteria, bacterium
    (microbiology) single-celled or noncellular spherical or spiral or rod-shaped organisms lacking chlorophyll that reproduce by fission; important as pathogens and for biochemical properties; taxonomy is difficult; often considered to be plants
  6. noun
    a gangster's pistol
    synonyms: gat
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    type of:
    handgun, pistol, shooting iron, side arm
    a firearm that is held and fired with one hand
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘rod'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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