blocs

[/blɑks/]
nounpl: blocs
blocos
1. groups of countries or political entities united for a common purpose
The Eastern Bloc and Western Bloc were separated during the Cold War.
O Bloco Oriental e o Bloco Ocidental foram separados durante a Guerra Fria.
2. organized groups of people, typically in carnival celebrations or parades
The carnival blocs parade through the streets of Rio during Carnival.
Os blocos de carnaval desfilam pelas ruas do Rio durante o Carnaval.
3. solid pieces or chunks of material
The construction site had several concrete blocs stacked together.
O canteiro de obras tinha vários blocos de concreto empilhados.
4. a section or unit of something larger
The apartment building was divided into three residential blocs.
O edifício de apartamentos foi dividido em três blocos residenciais.
In Brazil, 'blocs' (blocos) are central to Carnival culture, particularly in Rio de Janeiro and increasingly in São Paulo, where organized groups parade through streets with music and dancing. Historically, the term also refers to political alliances, most notably the Cold War era Eastern and Western Blocs. The carnival blocos represent a democratization of Carnival, allowing ordinary citizens to participate in street celebrations.
NYC Slang
crews, squads, crews (in context of organized groups)
Synonyms / Sinônimos
blockschunksgroupscoalitionsalliances
Antonyms / Antônimos
individualsfragmentsseparations

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
blocos
Most common usage, refers to carnival groups or political/strategic alliances
Rio de Janeiro
blocos
Heavily associated with Carnival tradition; blocos de rua are street parades
São Paulo
blocos
Also used for carnival groups; increasingly popular street carnival format
Portugal
blocos
Used in political/geopolitical contexts; less common in carnival context

Related Words

blocblockcoalitionalliancecarnavalpolitical grouping

Related Idioms & Phrases

em bloco (all together, as a block)
bloco de carnaval (carnival group/parade)
bloco histórico (historical bloc, political term)
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