Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Rove

Rove

(rōv)
,
Verb.
T.
[perhaps fr. or akin to
reeve
.]
1.
To draw through an eye or aperture.
2.
To draw out into flakes; to card, as wool.
Jamieson.
3.
To twist slightly; to bring together, as slivers of wool or cotton, and twist slightly before spinning.

Rove

(rōv)
,
Noun.
1.
A copper washer upon which the end of a nail is clinched in boat building.
2.
A roll or sliver of wool or cotton drawn out and slighty twisted, preparatory to further process; a roving.

Rove

,
Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Roved
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Roving
.]
[Cf. D.
rooven
to rob; akin to E.
reave
. See
Reave
,
Rob
.]
1.
To practice robbery on the seas; to wander about on the seas in piracy.
[Obs.]
Hakluyt.
2.
Hence, to wander; to ramble; to rauge; to go, move, or pass without certain direction in any manner, by sailing, walking, riding, flying, or otherwise.
For who has power to walk has power to
rove
.
Arbuthnot.
3.
(Archery)
To shoot at rovers; hence, to shoot at an angle of elevation, not at point-blank (rovers usually being beyond the point-blank range).
Fair Venus’ son, that with thy cruel dart
At that good knight so cunningly didst
rove
.
Spenser.
Syn. – To wander; roam; range; ramble stroll.

Rove

,
Verb.
T.
1.
To wander over or through.
Roving
the field, I chanced
A goodly tree far distant to behold.
milton.
2.
To plow into ridges by turning the earth of two furrows together.

Rove

,
Noun.
The act of wandering; a ramble.
In thy nocturnal
rove
one moment halt.
Young.
Rove beetle
(Zool.)
,
any one of numerous species of beetles of the family
Staphylinidae
, having short elytra beneath which the wings are folded transversely. They are rapid runners, and seldom fly.

Webster 1828 Edition


Rove

ROVE

,
Verb.
I.
[L. rapio.]
To wander; to ramble; to range; to go, move or pass without certain direction in any manner, by walking, riding, flying or otherwise.
For who has power to walk, has power to rove.

ROVE

,
Verb.
T.
To wander over; as roving a field; roving the town. This is an elliptical form of expression, for roving over, through or about the town.

ROVE

,
Verb.
T.
To draw a thread, string or cord through an eye or aperture.