What does socking mean?
Socking means striking someone or something with considerable force, usually with a fist or another heavy object. Expressions such as "sock someone in the jaw" and "sock it to him" are vivid but informal, and they often convey a mixture of aggression, urgency, and exaggeration. Although "socking" may initially suggest the activity of putting on socks, that spelling would normally be written as two words: "sock in" or "socking" in that context. As the present participle of sock, it can also follow a linking verb, as in "the boxer was socking his opponent in the mouth." The word has an old-fashioned, distinctly physical flavor and is most natural in speech, informal writing, and narrative descriptions of conflict. Its historical connection to the garment is indirect: both sock and shoe descend from an old Germanic word for a covering worn on the foot.
verbTo strike someone or something forcefully, especially with a fist or heavy object. It also occurs as the present participle of the verb.
- To strike someone or something forcefully, especially with a fist or heavy object.
"The boxer socked his opponent in the mouth before the referee stepped in."
"He socked the door hard enough to rattle the windows."
"The crowd socked the winning player with congratulations as soon as the final whistle blew."
Socking sounds as though it belongs to stocking, but it comes from the separate verb meaning to deliver a heavy blow.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of socking
The verb sock descends from Middle English sock, a word for a heavy blow, which developed from Old English sōc, meaning a shoe or stocking. Old English sōc was related to other Germanic forms for footwear, and the modern words shoe, shoemaker, and shoehorn continue that broader family. In the verb sense, the meaning developed from a forceful movement or blow associated with the foot to the more general sense of striking hard with the fist or a heavy object.
How socking is actually used
The verb is informal and strongly physical; phrases such as "sock him" can sound deliberately rough or comic depending on context.
Easily confused with socking
Socking means striking or is the present participle of the verb sock, whereas a stocking is a long, close-fitting garment worn over the leg and foot.