The circus strong man proved hisstrength by bending an ironrod, and then straightening it.
2025 May 12, Jeff Edwards, “Rods from God: Unleashing Orbital Kinetic Bombardment as a Theoretical Defense System”, inMira Safety[1]:
Which makes the concept known as Rods From God the ultimate form of kinetic weaponry. This theoretical weapon would drop telephone pole sizedrods of dense tungsten from a satellite in orbit. Picking up speed with each passing second, therod would then penetrate the ground and generate an explosion akin to a small nuclear weapon using nothing but gravity for its propulsion.
A longitudinal pole used for forming part of a framework such as an awning or tent.
So was I brought up: they tell mee, that in all my youth, I never feltrod[translatingverges] but twice, and that very lightly.
An implement resembling and/or supplanting a rod (particularly acane) that is used for corporal punishment, and metonymically calledthe rod, regardless of its actual shape and composition.
The judge imposed on the thief a sentence of fifteen strokes withthe rod.
A stick used to measure distance, by using its established length or task-specific temporary marks along its length, or by dint of specific graduated marks.
I notched arod and used it to measure the length of rope to cut.
‘And this thicket, so full of a natural art, was in the immediate vicinity,within a fewrods, of the dwelling of Madame Deluc, whose boys were in the habit of closely examining the shrubberies about them in search of the bark of the sassafras.’
A fewrods farther led him past the old black Presbyterian church, with its square tower, embowered in a stately grove; past the Catholic church, with its many crosses, and a painted wooden figure of St. James in a recess beneath the gable; and past the old Jefferson House, once the leading hotel of the town, in front of which political meetings had been held, and political speeches made, and political hard cider drunk, in the days of "Tippecanoe and Tyler too."
1924,Edward A. Ross, “Pocketed Americans”, inWorld Drift, New York; London: The Century Co., published1928,page68:
the valley is forty to sixtyrods wide
An implement held vertically and viewed through an optical surveying instrument such as atransit, used to measure distance in land surveying and constructionlayout; anengineer's rod,surveyor's rod,surveying rod,leveling rod,ranging rod. The modern(US) engineer's or surveyor's rod commonly is eight or ten feet long and often designed to extend higher. In former times a surveyor's rod often was a single wooden pole or composed of multiple sectioned and socketed pieces, and besides serving as a sighting target was used to measure distance on the ground horizontally, hence for convenience was of one rod or pole in length, that is, 5+1⁄2yards.
2004, Bruce Jackson,Get Your Ass in the Water and Swim Like Me:
[I'm gonna][…]throw some vaseline right in the crack a your ass, then I'm gonna shove myrod in your open hole and try to pacify your ornery soul.
(slang) Ahot rod, an automobile or other passenger motor vehicle modified to run faster and often with exterior cosmetic alterations, especially one based originally on a pre-1940s model or (currently) denoting any older vehicle thus modified.
(ufology) A rod-shaped object that appears in photographs or videos traveling at high speed, not seen by the person recording the event, often associated with extraterrestrial entities.
2000, Jack Barranger, Paul Tice,Mysteries Explored: The Search for Human Origins, Ufos, and Religious Beginnings, Book Three, p.37:
These cylindricalrods fly through the air at incredible speeds and can only be picked up by high-speed cameras.
2009, Barry Conrad,An Unknown Encounter: A True Account of the San Pedro Haunting, Dorrance Publishing, pages129–130:
During one such broadcast in 1997, the esteemed radio host bellowed, “I got a fax earlier today from MUFON (Mutual UFO Network) in Arizona and they said what you think arerods are actually insects!”
2010, Deena West Budd,The Weiser Field Guide to Cryptozoology: Werewolves, Dragons, Skyfish, Lizard Men, and Other Fascinating Creatures Real and Mysterious, Weiser Books, page15:
He tells of a home video showing arod flying into the open mouth of a girl singing at a wedding.
1960 December, Cecil J. Allen, “Operating a mountain main line: the Bern-Lötschberg-Simplon: Part One”, inTrains Illustrated, page743:
In the early days troubles were experienced with oscillation from therod drive and with the transformers, but were overcome later, and these machines performed useful service until superseded by more modern locomotives less costly in maintenance.
(plumbing) Adrain rod, being a set of segmented rods with interlocking connectors designed to remain attached even under rotation in use.
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions atWiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
On impulse he moved around to the opposite side of the couple, in the direction which Grace's broad buttocks were pointed, for a full view of the big boned woman's back side. Now Grace wouldn't mind one iota if herodded her from the rear.
There were three clear sets, more than what you might expect at Heartbreak Point, given all the juviesrodding in and out of there with their girlfriends.
