) roach. | 1. | a European freshwater fish, Rutilus rutilus, of the carp family. |
| 2. | any of various similar fishes, as the golden shiner. |
| 3. | a freshwater sunfish of the genus Lepomis, found in eastern North America. |

| 1. | Nautical.
|
| 2. | hair combed up from the forehead or temples in a roll or high curve. |
| 3. | to clip or cut off (the mane of a horse); hog. |
| 4. | to comb (hair) into a roach. |

| any of numerous orthopterous insects of the family Blattidae, characterized by a flattened body, rapid movements, and nocturnal habits and including several common household pests. |
roach
|
"A certaine India Bug, called by the Spaniards a Cacarootch, the which creeping into Chests they eat and defile with their ill-sented dung" [Capt. John Smith, "Virginia," 1624].
roach jargon
A Bell Labs term meaning destroy, especially of a data structure. Hardware gets toasted or fried, software gets roached.
[Why?]
[The Jargon File]
(1999-02-08)