Lately I see "news lite" headlines saying such things as, "Cunegonde Kumsplat rocks her bikini."
What the heck are these teenagers talking about?

I've stated here previously that for me communication is impossible, since I'm unable to toss aside meanings that were valid a year ago and replace them with current ones, which may or may not be valid in another year.
Might I assume that this is one such example?

Well no-one has ever "explained: rock to me in this usage and I've never looked it up but I have absolutely no trouble understanding it from context. Surprised that anyeone does.

Keep rockin' those linguistics.

Here's one definition from the internet. note number seven.

rock (rɒk)
vb
1. to move or cause to move from side to side or backwards and forwards

2. to reel or sway or cause (someone) to reel or sway, as with a violent shock or emotion

3. (tr) to shake or move (something) violently

4. (Dancing) (intr) to dance in the rock-and-roll style

5. (Mining & Quarrying) mining to wash (ore) or (of ore) to be washed in a cradle

6. (Art Terms) (tr) to roughen (a copper plate) with a rocker before engraving a mezzotint

7. (tr) US to impress by wearing (an item of clothing) or playing (a musical instrument): She can still rock a miniskirt; He rocks a guitar like nobody's business.

8. rock the boat to create a disturbance in the existing situation

n

Definitions 1,4, and 8 I was familiar with. #7 seems plucked out of thin air. I cannot understand how it came to be.

It's clearly just an extension of the slang term "you rock" which itself comes from "the music rocks".

I'm speculating but I'd say the idea of music "rocking" comes from the motions involved in dancing.

It isn't even a slightly obscure termt. I'm surprised it's bothering you.

Did "rock" mean "dancing" before rock music?

It's from rock music's ancestor, rhythm and blues, where it meant "to dance to popular music with a strong beat". See rock (v.2).

This message has been edited. Last edited by: arnie,

quote:

Originally posted by BobHale:


I'm speculating but I'd say the idea of music "rocking" comes from the motions involved in dancing.

I've seen many references to its origins as being the rocking of one's pelvis during coitus. If so, then my original example would suggest an invitation of the bikini-clad woman to copulate. Am I being too literal?

quote:

Am I being too literal?

Yes.

Oh, rock-a my soul

quote:

Am I being too literal?

Yes.

And yet, arnie, this is from etymology.com: "action of rocking; a movement to and fro," 1823, from rock (v.1)."

quote:

And yet, arnie, this is from etymology.com: "action of rocking; a movement to and fro," 1823, from rock (v.1)."

But there exists a "rock (v.2)". You're not trying to say that all the meanings of every verb apply equally, are you?

quote:

You're not trying to say that all the meanings of every verb apply equally, are you?

No, but that one meaning applies, and that was the question.