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View synonyms for rove

rove

1

[ rohv ]

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.

    Synonyms: stray, amble, stroll



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.

rove

2

[ rohv ]

verb

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

rove

3

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

noun

  1. British. roving 2.

rove

1

/ rəʊv /

verb

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


rove

2

/ rəʊv /

noun

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

rove

3

/ 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

4

/ rəʊv /

verb

  1. to wander about (a place) with no fixed direction; roam
  2. intr (of the eyes) to look around; wander
  3. have a roving eye
    have a roving eye 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

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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

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Word History and Origins

Origin of rove1

C15: from Scandinavian; compare Icelandic ro

Origin of rove2

C18: of obscure origin

Origin of rove3

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

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Synonym Study

See roam.

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Example Sentences

After finding success with the Reel Rock Film Tour, a roving showcase of short films about climbers and their greatest feats, filmmakers Josh Lowell and Peter Mortimer decided they wanted to expand into bigger audiences.

These small, roving gangs often did not unearth antifa — a loose collective of activists who identify as anti-fascist — but instead were involved in violent attacks on passersby.

An archaeologist roving around in a submersible was the first to lay eyes on the vessels in nearly 80 years.

Sure enough, her roving camera could spot when these plants needed water.

Otherwise, the map is dotted with roving cattle ranches and farms and small properties — 5 acres here, 10 acres there — with many landowners presumably amenable to a buyout.

Either way, Rove certainly had a better night than last time around.

The most memorable ad of the lot was one run by American Crossroads, the Super PAC associated with Karl Rove.

“It was all for nothing; Rove wanted the issue buried,” Wurmser said.

But when the information was brought up with the White House, senior adviser Karl Rove told them to “let these sleeping dogs lie.”

One donor complains about the takeout chicken pot pies served at a Karl Rove-hosted confab.

In a moment his interested eyes would rove over the crowd again.

At last his eyes began to rove around and presently they rested on me, where I was watching him.

The nations who rove over the western prairies, inscribe them on the skins of the buffalo.

His little black eyes travel further and faster than his legs, and rove up and down and across the Bowery ceaselessly.

If I thought he meant the boy any harm he'd get his nose rove foul in the shake of a fluke.

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