Robinson, Smokey
1194
was the first woman President of the Republic of Ireland
from 1990 to 1997. She was known as a supporter of
women's rights, and she supported attempts to make Ire-
land's laws on DIVORCE less strict. She was also the UN High
Commissioner for Human Rights from 1997 to 2002.
**Robinson, Smok·ey** /'sməʊki/ (1940-) a US SOUL singer,
and record PRODUCER for the record company Motown, of
which he later became a director. He started working with
his group The Miracles in 1957 and their songs include *The
Tracks of My Tears* and *I Second That Emotion*.
**Robinson, Sugar Ray** (1921-89) a very successful US BOXER
who was world CHAMPION in the 1940s and 1950s, first as a
WELTERWEIGHT (=boxer weighing between 63.5 and 66.5
kilos), and then as a MIDDLEWEIGHT (=boxer weighing
between 70 and 72.5 kilos)
**Robinson Cru·soe** /ˌrɒbɪnsən 'kruːsəlˌra:/ the main
character in the book *Robinson Crusoe* by Daniel DEFOE.
When Robinson Crusoe's ship sinks, he manages to reach a
DESERT ISLAND (=a small tropical island with no people
living on it) where he builds a home. Later he meets a black
man whom he calls MAN FRIDAY, who becomes his servant
and friend. They are both finally discovered by a British ship
and taken home.
**Rob·i·tus·sin** /'rɒbɪtʌsɪn || 'raɪ:/ trademark a type of liquid
medicine, which helps you stop coughing and makes your
throat less sore
**ro·bot** /'rəʊbɒt || -bɑːt, -bət/ *n* a machine that can move and
do some of the work of a human being and is usually
controlled by a computer: *These cars were built by robots.* |
(fig.) *They were so brainwashed that they worked like robots,
with no thought or initiative of their own.*
**ro·bot·ic** /rəʊ'bɒtɪk || -'bɑː-/ *adj* **1** [A] robotic equipment etc
is related to robots or is part of a robot: *the space shuttle's
robotic arm* **2** someone who is robotic acts like a robot by
making stiff movements, not showing any human feelings etc
**ro·bot·ics** /rəʊ'bɒtɪks || -'bɑː-/ *n* [U] the study of the making
and use of robots
**Rob Roy** /ˌrɒb 'rɔɪ || ˌrɑːb-/ (1671-1734) a Scottish OUTLAW who
lived mostly by stealing cows and making people pay for
protection against thieves. He is the subject of a famous
novel by Sir Walter SCOTT and of two films.
**ro·bust** /rə'bʌst, 'rəʊbɑːst/ *adj* **1** *apprec* having or showing
good health or strength: *a very robust child who never gets
ill* | *a robust company* | *That chair's not very robust; don't sit
on it!* **2** *euph* using strong arguments; forceful and effective:
*rather robust criticism* | *a robust defence of the Administra-
tion's record* →**-ly** *adv* →**-ness** *n* [U]
**Roc, the** /rɒk || rɑːk/ *n* in ancient Eastern stories, a bird of great
size and strength which, in the story of *Sindbad the Sailor*,
carried Sindbad out of the valley of diamonds
**Roch·es·ter, Mrs** /'rɒtʃɪstəʳ || 'rɑː-/ a character in the book
JANE EYRE (1847) by Charlotte BRONTË. Mrs Rochester is
mentally ill and kept locked in the ATTIC (=a room under the
roof) of the house so that no one can see her. She finally
destroys the house by setting it on fire.
**rock¹** /rɒk || rɑːk/ *v* **1** [I,T] to (cause to) move regularly back-
wards and forwards or from side to side: *The boat rocked (to
and fro) on the water.* | *She rocked the child in her arms.* | *He
rocked the baby to sleep in the cradle.* **2** [T] to cause great
shock and surprise to: *The news of the President's murder
rocked the nation.* **3** **Rock-a-bye baby** on the tree top the
first line of a song sung to get children to go to sleep **4** rock
the boat *derog* to spoil the good or comfortable situation
that exists: *We've been doing it this way for years; don't rock
the boat by trying to introduce new methods.*
**rock²** *n* **1** [C;U] (a type of) stone forming part of the Earth's
surface: *To build this tunnel we had to cut through (the) solid
rock.* | *They go rock-climbing every weekend.* | *an interesting
rock formation* | *igneous rocks* | *The house is as solid as a
rock.* (=very strong and well built) **2** [C] a large separate
piece of stone: *There's danger from falling rocks.* **3** [C] *AmE*
any stone, large or small: *They threw rocks at her car.* **4** [U]
*BrE* a hard sticky kind of sweet made in long round bars and
sold especially at the seaside in Britain with the name of the
place marked in it: *a stick of (Brighton) rock* **5** [C usually pl.]
*slang, especially AmE* a diamond **6** **between a rock and a hard
place** having two possible courses of action open to one,
both of which are dangerous, unpleasant etc **7** **Rock of
ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee** the first
words of a famous HYMN (=religious song) written in 1775 by
the Reverend Toplady, who had the idea for the hymn whilst
sheltering from a storm, in a CAVE within a large rock **8** my
rock an expression used to mean someone who you can
always RELY on, especially when you need help during a
difficult time in your life. This phrase was used by Diana,
the Princess of Wales, to describe her BUTLER, Paul Burrell.
**rock³** also **rock music** — *n* [U] **1** any of several styles of
popular modern music which are based on ROCK 'N' ROLL,
usually played on electrical instruments: *a rock concert* →
compare POP **2** ROCK 'N' ROLL
**Rock Around the 'Clock** a song by Bill HALEY And The
Comets. It is remembered as the song that first made ROCK
'N' ROLL popular in 1955.
**rock 'bottom** *n* [U] the lowest point; the bottom: *Prices
have reached rock bottom.* | *Performance standards have
fallen to rock bottom.* | *rock-bottom prices at the sales*
**rock-bound** /'rɒkbaʊnd || 'rɑːk-/ *adj* (of a coast) bordered
with rocks
**'rock cake** also **rock 'bun** *n* *BrE* a small hard cake with a
rough surface
**'rock climbing** *n* [U] the sport of climbing up large rocks
and parts of mountains which are impossible to walk up
**'rock dash** *n* [U] *AmE* for PEBBEDASH
**Rock·e·fel·ler, John D.** /'rɒkəfeləʳ || 'rɑː-/ (1839-1937) a US
businessman and PHILANTHROPIST, known for being
extremely rich, who started the STANDARD OIL Company in
1870. He used part of his great wealth to start the University
of Chicago in 1892, the Rockefeller Institute for Medical
Research (which is now Rockefeller University) in 1901, and
the Rockefeller Foundation in 1913. His son, John D. Rock-
efeller II (1874-1960), gave the UN the land for its HEAD-
QUARTERS, and built the Rockefeller Center, a large group of
buildings in New York City, which includes offices, concert
halls, shops, and works of art.
**Rockefeller, Nelson** (1908-1979) a Republican politician
who was GOVERNOR of New York state from 1959 to 1973,
and who was VICE PRESIDENT of the US from 1974 to 1977
when Gerald Ford was president. He was the GRANDSON of
John D. Rockefeller, the rich oil company owner.
**rock·er¹** /'rɒkə || 'rɑː-/ *n* **1** either of the curved pieces of
wood fixed to the underside of a ROCKING CHAIR, ROCKING
HORSE, or CRADLE which allow movement backwards and
forwards when pushed **2** a ROCKING CHAIR **3** **off one's
rocker** *infml often humor* mad
**rocker²** *n* [(often cap.)] a member of a group of young people, in
Britain especially in the 1960s, following a fashion for leather
clothes, motorcycles, and ROCK 'N' ROLL → compare MOD
**rock·ery** /'rɒkəri || 'rɑː-/ also **rock garden** *n* a (part of a)
garden laid out as a pile of rocks with low-growing plants
growing between them
**rock·et¹** /'rɒkɪt || 'rɑː-/ *n* **1** [C] a usually tube-shaped object
that is driven through the air by burning gases and is used for
travelling into space, for helping aircraft to take off etc: *The
space rocket was launched and went into orbit.* | *a two-stage
rocket* → see also RETRO-ROCKET **2** [C] a similar object used
as a weapon, especially one that carries a bomb: *an anti-tank
rocket* | *a rocket base* **3** [C] also **skyrocket** — a small tube that
has a stick fixed to it, is driven through the air by burning
explosive powder, and is used as a FIREWORK **4** [C usually sing]
*BrE infml* a case of being severely spoken to because one has
done something wrong: *You'll really get a rocket if you're late
again!* **5** [U] *BrE* a vegetable with small green leaves usually
eaten in SALADS and a fashionable food in the UK
**rocket²** *v* [I] **1** [(UP)] also **skyrocket** — (especially of an
amount, price etc) to rise quickly and suddenly: *The price of
sugar has suddenly rocketed (up).* **2** [+adv/prep] to move at
very great speed: *The train rocketed through the station at 90
miles an hour.* | (fig.) *After his amazing success in the film he
rocketed to stardom.*
**'rocket launcher** *n* a machine, carried by hand or on a
vehicle, for sending up military rocket-type bombs
**'rocket science** *n* **sthg. is not rocket science** *infml* used to
say that something is not difficult to do or understand