rove

Meaning

Noun

1. A copper washer upon which the end of a nail is clinched in boatbuilding.
2. A roll or sliver of wool or cotton drawn out and lightly twisted, preparatory to further processing; a roving.
3. The act of wandering; a ramble.

Verb

1. (intransitive, obsolete) To shoot with arrows (at).
2. (intransitive) To roam, or wander about at random, especially over a wide area.
3. (transitive) To roam or wander through.
4. (transitive) To card wool or other fibres.
5. To twist slightly; to bring together, as slivers of wool or cotton, and twist slightly before spinning.
6. To draw through an eye or aperture.
7. To plough into ridges by turning the earth of two furrows together.
8. To practice robbery on the seas; to voyage about on the seas as a pirate.

Verb

1. (form-of, past) simple past of rive
2. (form-of, past) simple past of reeve

reeve

• Noun
• Verb

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rive

• Verb
• Noun
• Noun

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Synonyms

wander

roam

ramble

stray

drift

tramp

travel

range

wandering

swan

🦢

vagabond

walk

🚶

gad

tour

cast

wander about

lurk

travel with hazard

sneak

prowl

roll

meander

peregrination

roaming

roving

saunter

stall

stroll

swoop

tergiversate

roam about

traipse

traverse

trek

trip

vagrancy

walk around

wonder

go astray

move to and fro

run about

vagabondize

be busy running

walk all around

be shifty

ambulate

move or go about

browse

circuit

circulate

Translations

vagabondare

andare in giro

errare

vagare

errer

vagar

umherstreichen

vagabonder

ausfasern

girovagare

errar

περιπλανώμαι

umherschweifen

umherirren

vaguer

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ɹəʊv/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: *roven

Inherited from Middle English: raven

Cognate with Icelandic: ráfa

Cognate with Scots: rave

In summary

Probably from Middle English *roven, a Midlands variant of Northern Middle English raven (“to wander”), from Old Norse ráfa (“to rove; stray about”). Cognate with Icelandic ráfa (“to wander”), Scots rave (“to wander; stray; roam”).