rod

Rod can refer to a stick, handgun, car, parts of the eye, and even, well, the penis, among many other things. ROD can additionally serve as an acronym for the slang expression ride or die.

Rod is evidenced in Old English when it meant, well, “rod” or “pole.” Over the centuries, rod took on many senses, such as a tool for corporal punishment and a unit of measurement.

We find the word rod used for “penis” in the late 16th century. Rod crept up to the eyes–as in an eyeball’s rods and cones–by 1866.

Rod was recorded in the sense of “gun” by the 1900s and “gunman” by the 1930s. The 1950s saw rod extended to the pistons of cars, as can be found in a hot rod car.

ROD is sometimes used as an acronym for ride or die, an expression of loyalty that was popularized by hip-hop.

Rod is widespread in the English language, referring to all sorts of pole-like items, from fishing rods to carbon rods. Of course, Rod is a short form of such names as Roderick, Rodney, and Rodriquez, such as Rod Stewart and A-Rod.

For as old as the slang term is, rod remains a colorful euphemism for “penis,” and you’ll occasionally see rod used for “gun” in criminal contexts.

ROD, for ride or die, can be seen as a hashtag #ROD on social media as a convenient proclamation of loyalty, no matter what, to one’s compadres.

It’s a different typa loyalty when yo best friends are yo siblings 💉 #ROD

— FINEFEUIAKI (@amzfine) December 24, 2018

everyone is still hella confused when i mention corn so let me come thru rq. this is corn, he's my ROD, my wingman, my sidekick, my baby pic.twitter.com/x7xLHSF549

— A T O K A D (@kashtwt) June 30, 2017

More examples of rod:

“Although this article focuses on how to replace strut rods on C2s and C3s, the procedure is similar for most other generation Corvettes. The parts options are also similar and include rubber polyurethane bushings and adjustable struts rods.”

—John Pfanstiehl, Hod Rod Network, December 2018

This content is not meant to be a formal definition of this term. Rather, it is an informal summary that seeks to provide supplemental information and context important to know or keep in mind about the term’s history, meaning, and usage.