Word forms: plural roacheslanguage note: The form roach can be used as the plural for meaning [sense 2].
1. countable noun
A roach is the same as a cockroach.
[mainly US]
He found his brother in a seedy, roach-infested apartment.
2. countable noun
A roach is a fish that lives in European rivers and lakes.
roach in British English1
(rəʊtʃ)
nounWord forms: pluralroaches or roach
1.
a European freshwater cyprinid food fish, Rutilus rutilus, having a deep compressed body and reddish ventral and tail fins
2.
any of various similar fishes
Word origin
C14: from Old French roche, of obscure origin
roach in British English2
(rəʊtʃ)
noun
1. short for cockroach
2. slang
the butt of a cannabis cigarette
roach in British English3
(rəʊtʃ)
noun nautical
1.
the amount by which the leech of a fore-and-aft sail projects beyond an imaginary straight line between the clew and the head
2.
the curve at the foot of a square sail
Word origin
C18: of unknown origin
Roach in British English
(rəʊtʃ)
noun
Hal, full name Harald Eugene Roach. 1892–1992, US film producer, whose company produced numerous comedy films in the 1920s and 1930s, including those featuring Harold Lloyd and Laurel and Hardy
roach in American English1
(roʊtʃ)
US
noun
1.
cockroach
2. Slang
the butt of a marijuana cigarette
roach in American English2
(roʊtʃ)
nounWord forms: pluralroach or ˈroaches
1.
either of two N European freshwater cyprinoid fishes (genus Rutilus)
2.
any of various similar American fishes, as the California minnow (Hesperoleucus symmetricus)
Word origin
ME roche < OFr < Gmc, as in MLowG roche, OE ruhha, roach, akin to OE ruh, rough: prob. because of the rough skin
roach in American English3
(roʊtʃ)
verb transitive
1. US
to brush (a person's hair) so that it arches over into a roll
2. US
to cut (a horse's mane) so that it stands up
noun
3. US
hair or a mane brushed or cut by roaching
4.
the curved edge of a sail
Examples of 'roach' in a sentence
roach
Perch, roach and bream are there for the catching.