Wiktionary
n. 1 a woodcut 2 (context music English) a percussion instrument consisting of a hollow block of wood struck with a drumstick
WordNet
n. engraving consisting of a block of wood with a design cut into it; used to make prints [syn: woodcut, wood engraving]
Wikipedia
A wood block (also spelled as a single word, woodblock) is a small slit drum made from a single piece of wood and used as a percussion instrument. The term generally signifies the Western orchestral instrument, though it is related to the ban time-beaters used by the Han Chinese, which is why the Western instrument is sometimes referred to as Chinese woodblock. Alternative names sometimes used in ragtime and jazz are clog box and tap box. In orchestral music scores, wood blocks may be indicated by the French bloc de bois or tambour de bois, German Holzblock or Holzblocktrommel, or Italian cassa di legno .
The orchestral wood-block instrument of the West is generally made from teak or another hardwood. The dimensions of this instrument vary, although it is either a rectangular or cylindrical block of wood with one or sometimes two longitudinal cavities . It is played by striking it with a stick, which produces a sharp crack .
In a drum kit, a woodblock was traditionally mounted on a clamp fixed to the top of the rear rim of the bass drum.
Usage examples of "wood block".
Until one afternoon he drank too much of the wine, began to sway dizzily, fell off the wood block and hit his chin on the hard earth, knocking himself out.
He held the wood block firmly in front of him and, keeping the fingers of his other hand below the level of the padlock as much as possible, gently slid the key into the lock.
It was the kitchen of someone who knew how to do more than run the microwave commercial range, pots hanging from the iron rack above a granite-topped island loaded with big-ass knives in a wood block.
A few stray voices were heard, but the bald man rapped with his wood block and these too died down.
William put on his coat, wrapped the wood block carefully in some waxed paper and stepped out into the freezing night.
He flew over to the wood block, waited until I spotted him there, then flew off, leaving the rabbit behind.