sock / säk/ • n. 1. a garment for the foot and lower part of the leg, typically knitted from wool, cotton, or nylon. ∎  a removable inner sole placed inside a shoe or boot for added warmth or to improve the fit. ∎  a white marking on the lower part of a horse's leg, not extending as far as the knee or hock.Compare with stocking.2. inf. a hard blow: a sock on the jaw. ∎  force or emphasis: we have enough speed and sock in our lineup to score runs.• v. inf. [tr.] hit forcefully: Jess socked his father across the face. ∎  (often be socked with) affect disadvantageously: consumers have been socked with huge price increases.PHRASES: knock (or blow) someone's socks off inf. amaze or impress someone.knock the socks off inf. surpass or beat: it will knock the socks off the opposition.—— one's socks off inf. do something with great energy and enthusiasm: she acted her socks off.put a sock in it [usu. in imper.] Brit., inf. stop talking.sock and buskin archaic the theatrical profession; drama.sock it to someone inf. attack or make a forceful impression on someone.PHRASAL VERBS: sock something away put money aside as savings: you'll need to sock away about $900 a month.sock something in (or sock in) (of weather) envelop: the beach was socked in with fog.

sock1 †light shoe OE.; half-hose XIV; shoe worn by comic actors on the Greek and Roman stage XVI. OE. socc, corr. to MLG., MDu. socke (Du. sok), OHG. soch (G. socke), ON. sokkr; Gmc. — L. soccus — Gr. súkkhos, sukkhás.

sock a light shoe worn by comic actors on the ancient Greek and Roman stage; hence used allusively to denote comedy or the comic muse.
sock and buskin comedy and tragedy, the drama or theatrical profession as a whole.

sock2 (sl.) blow, beating; also vb. XVII. of unkn. orig.