rove

1
[ rohv ]
See synonyms for: roveroving on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object),roved, rov·ing.
  1. to wander about without definite destination; move hither and thither at random, especially over a wide area.

verb (used with object),roved, rov·ing.
  1. to wander over or through; traverse: to rove the woods.

noun
  1. an act or instance of roving.

Origin of rove

1
First recorded in 1490–1500; originally, “to shoot at a random target”; perhaps from Scandinavian; compare Old Norse rāfa “to stray”; but compare also Old French raver “to roam”

synonym study For rove

1. See roam.

Other words for rove

Words Nearby rove

Other definitions for rove (2 of 3)

rove2
[ rohv ]

verb
  1. a simple past tense and past participle of reeve2.

Other definitions for rove (3 of 3)

rove3
[ rohv ]

verb (used with object),roved, rov·ing.
  1. to form (slivers of wool, cotton, etc.) into slightly twisted strands in a preparatory process of spinning.

  2. to draw fibers or the like through an eye or other small opening.

  1. to attenuate, compress, and twist slightly in carding.

noun
  1. British. roving2.

Origin of rove

3
First recorded in 1690–1700; of obscure origin

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use rove in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for rove (1 of 4)

rove1

/ (rəʊv) /


verb
  1. to wander about (a place) with no fixed direction; roam

  2. (intr) (of the eyes) to look around; wander

  1. have a roving eye to show a widespread amorous interest in the opposite sex

  2. (intr) Australian rules football to play as a rover

noun
  1. the act of roving

Origin of rove

1
C15 roven (in archery) to shoot at a target chosen at random (C16: to wander, stray), from Scandinavian; compare Icelandic rāfa to wander

British Dictionary definitions for rove (2 of 4)

rove2

/ (rəʊv) /


verb
  1. (tr) to pull out and twist (fibres of wool, cotton, etc) lightly, as before spinning or in carding

noun
  1. wool, cotton, etc, thus prepared

Origin of rove

2
C18: of obscure origin

British Dictionary definitions for rove (3 of 4)

rove3

/ (rəʊv) /


noun
  1. a metal plate through which a rivet is passed and then clenched over

Origin of rove

3
C15: from Scandinavian; compare Icelandic ro

British Dictionary definitions for rove (4 of 4)

rove4

/ (rəʊv) /


verb
  1. a past tense and past participle of reeve 2

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012