The block of words comes from the West Germanic "block" from where it was taken by the French language as a block, and from there it passed into our language, with the meaning of a piece of log, passing through the extension to designate any material or object immaterial, large, composed of many particles or elements united in a single whole; for example, ice block, cement block, earth block, stone block (rock) commercial block, and so on.
The size of the blocks is variable, speaking of small, medium and large blocks.
Continuing in the field of construction, the word block is also used to designate a block or a building of houses or apartments that share physical characteristics.
The concept of block also refers to an occasional grouping of organizations, countries or political parties that share certain objectives
In order to increase their power, the countries create blocs, uniting with others for political purposes: economic (such as MERCOSUR or the European Union), ideological (capitalist blocs, led by the United States, and communist blocs, under the Soviet Union, confronted the so-called “ Cold War”) or warlike, like NATO, to defend against possible Soviet attacks; or the Warsaw Pact made up of Eastern European States against the offensive for the creation of NATO.
On the other hand, in the political sphere, the bloc has a very recurrent use and with it the coalition is designated, a circumstantial alliance of political groups. Even many of the groupings are called Block this or that. In this sense it may appear called by the synonym of coalition.
Also in computing there is a blocking reference, since there it is called a set of characters that are treated as a unit and that are transferred from the main memory of a computer to a peripheral device, or vice versa.
In Mechanics, the word "block" is used to designate the cast iron part that is placed in internal combustion engines, and where the body of the cylinders, made of cast iron or aluminum, is machined and where the cooling water circulates.
