rogue
no longer obedient, belonging, or accepted and hence not controllable or answerable; renegade: They described him as a rogue cop who had abandoned his training.
dangerous and unpredictable: They were trapped in the house by a rogue snowstorm.
of or noting a nation or state that defies international treaties, laws, etc.: The blame is placed on rogue states that threaten world peace.
(of an animal) having an abnormally violent or unpredictable disposition: She helped trap a rogue tiger terrorizing the village.
a dishonest, untrustworthy person; scoundrel: We were traveling in secret to avoid running into rogues and thieves.
a playfully mischievous person; scamp: The youngest boys are little rogues.
Archaic. a tramp or vagabond.
an animal having an abnormally violent or unpredictable disposition.
Biology. a usually inferior organism, especially a plant, varying markedly from the normal.
to uproot or destroy (plants that do not conform to a desired standard):Usually, roguing the diseased plants is sufficient to minimize further spread.
to perform this operation upon: to rogue a field.
to cheat.
to live or act as a scoundrel, vagabond, or scamp.
Idioms about rogue
go rogue, to stop being obedient or predictable; to behave in a way that is not allowed or expected: Giving people the tools they need to do their jobs greatly reduces the risk of employees going rogue and using unauthorized services.To make more money, the agent went rogue and sold his services to the highest bidder.
Origin of rogue
1synonym study For rogue
Other words for rogue
Other words from rogue
- out·rogue, verb (used with object), out·rogued, out·ro·guing.
Words that may be confused with rogue
- rogue , rouge
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use rogue in a sentence
That explains the buzz around a new collection of short fiction titled Rogues.
Inside George R.R. Martin’s New Book (Mild Buzzkill: Only One Story is Martin’s) | William O’Connor | June 17, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTAfter all, reading would be pretty boring if romance novels got all the dashing rogues.
Inside George R.R. Martin’s New Book (Mild Buzzkill: Only One Story is Martin’s) | William O’Connor | June 17, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTTea Party rogues like Ted Cruz of Texas and Mike Lee of Utah are gumming up the works.
Janet Yellen Succeeds in the Senate Without Really Trying | Daniel Gross | November 14, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTThey were the bad boys and girls of Western literature, the literary rogues.
These rogues comprise a little known group operating in Nigeria known as Boko Haram.
Nigeria’s Most Sadistic Killers: Why Is Boko Haram Not Designated a Terrorist Group? | Eli Lake | October 16, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST
This assurance makes him less cautious, and he is caught by some rogues through this failing.
The 'Characters' of Jean de La Bruyre | Jean de La BruyreNo; keepe emFor your owne sins, you Rogues, till you repent: Youll dye else and be damnd.
The Fatal Dowry | Philip MassingerAt our challenge they have now taken to their heels like Falstaff's eleven rogues in buckram suits.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume 2 | Ian HamiltonThe rogues had a pleasant time of it: pensions from the crown, applause from all the world.
Bute's coach was escorted by hired bruisers; it was attacked amid cries of "Damn all Scotch rogues!"
The Political History of England - Vol. X. | William Hunt
British Dictionary definitions for rogue
/ (rəʊɡ) /
a dishonest or unprincipled person, esp a man; rascal; scoundrel
often jocular a mischievous or wayward person, often a child; scamp
a crop plant which is inferior, diseased, or of a different, unwanted variety
any inferior or defective specimen
(as modifier): rogue heroin
archaic a vagrant
an animal of vicious character that has separated from the main herd and leads a solitary life
(as modifier): a rogue elephant
(tr) to rid (a field or crop) of plants that are inferior, diseased, or of an unwanted variety
to identify and remove such plants
Origin of rogue
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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