block

A solid piece of material, often with six flat sides.

• The child stacked three wooden blocks.
• We built a wall from concrete blocks.
• She cut the block into smaller pieces.

How to use it: a block of something (He carved a bird from a block of wood.)

Similar words: chunk, piece

Common phrases: wooden block, building block, block of wood, block of ice

The distance along a street between two streets that cross it.

• The shop is two blocks away.
• Walk one block and turn left.
• We live six blocks from the school.

How to use it: a number of blocks from somewhere (The hotel is three blocks from the station.)

Common phrases: a block away, walk a block, next block

A restriction that stops someone using an online service or contacting someone by phone.

• The website placed a block on my account.
• Can you remove the block on incoming calls?
• Repeated abuse can lead to a permanent block.

How to use it: a block on someone/something (There is a block on calls from that number.)

Similar words: ban, restriction

Common phrases: temporary block, account block, remove a block

A thick, solid base used for cutting things, or formerly for cutting off someone's head.

• Put the meat on the block.
• The butcher cleaned his wooden block.
• The prisoner placed his head on the block.

Similar words: chopping block

Common phrases: chopping block, butcher's block, on the block

To stop someone or something passing through or moving forward.

• A car blocked the entrance.
• Leaves are blocking the drain.
• Please move your bag; it blocks the path.

Similar words: obstruct, bar, clog

Opposites: clear, unblock

Common phrases: block the road, block someone's way, block a drain, block a pipe

To stop someone using an online service or contacting you by phone or messages.

• I blocked his number.
• The website blocks users who send spam.
• Have you blocked her from seeing your posts?

How to use it: block someone from doing something (The service blocked him from sending messages.)

Similar words: ban, bar

Opposites: unblock

Common phrases: block a user, block someone's number, block unwanted calls