rove

¹

[rohv]

verb (used without object)

roved, roving 

1. to wander about without definite destination; move hither and thither at random, especially over a wide area.

   Synonyms: stray, amble, stroll

verb (used with object)

roved, roving 

1. to wander over or through; traverse.

   to rove the woods.

noun

1. an act or instance of roving.

rove

²

[rohv]

verb

1. a simple past tense and past participle of reeve.

rove

³

[rohv]

verb (used with object)

roved, roving 

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.

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

noun

1. British.,  roving.

rove

¹

/ rəʊv /

verb

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

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

3. to show a widespread amorous interest in the opposite sex

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

noun

1. the act of roving

rove

²

/ 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

rove

³

/ rəʊv /

noun

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

rove

⁴

/ rəʊv /

verb

1. a past tense and past participle of reeve 2

Word History and Origins

Origin of rove¹

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”

Origin of rove²

First recorded in 1690–1700; of obscure origin

Word History and Origins

Origin of rove¹

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

Origin of rove²

C18: of obscure origin

Origin of rove³

C15: from Scandinavian; compare Icelandic ro

Synonym Study

See roam.

Example Sentences

His eyes roved wildly beneath closed lids, and he did not stir, except to mutter something unintelligible.

Read more on Literature

Michael stared absently at Ricki Lake as she interviewed a couple about the boyfriend’s roving eye.

Read more on Literature

Guests of this Coffin Creek attraction were carted along from one breached containment scenario to the next, with roving monsters periodically surprising them in the darkness between the scantily lighted vignettes.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

After James returned his talents to Cleveland in 2014, the Cavaliers also brought back Jones, first as a “roving instructor” and player-development coach and later as a full-fledged assistant.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

She teaches herself to shoot and hunt, and even to cope with roving polar bears.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal