roach2, roc he2 (roch)

[ Palsgrave . Like betynge of the se, Quod I, agen the roches holowe. Chaucer , House of Fame, 1. 1035. Whan the marches ben garny hed, than moste we take counseile of oon stronge Castell that the i haue in this contrey, that is cleped the roc he of saxons. Merlin (E. E. T. S.), ii. 176. 2. Refuse gritty stone. Hall i well. [Prov. Eng.] -As sound as a roach, perfectly sound. [The word roach, a rock, being obsolete, no definite meaning is now attached to roach in this phrase. It is often referred to roach1.] roach2t, roc he2+ (rōch), v. t. make hard like a rock. [ Thee winters coldne e thee riuer hardlye roching. Stan i hurst , Conceites (ed. Arber), p. 136.