Rove (Rove), v. 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 (Rove), n. The act of wandering; a ramble.
In thy nocturnal rove one moment halt. Young. Rove beetle (Zoöl.), any one of numerous species of beetles of the family Staphylinidæ, having short
elytra beneath which the wings are folded transversely. They are rapid runners, and seldom fly.
Rover (Rov"er) n. [D. roover a robber. See Rove, v. i.]
1. One who practices robbery on the seas; a pirate.
Yet Pompey the Great deserveth honor more justly for scouring the seas, and taking from the rovers
846 sail of ships. Holland. 2. One who wanders about by sea or land; a wanderer; a rambler.
3. Hence, a fickle, inconstant person.
4. (Croquet) A ball which has passed through all the hoops and would go out if it hit the stake but is
continued in play; also, the player of such a ball.
5. (Archery) (a) Casual marks at uncertain distances. Encyc. Brit.
(b) A sort of arrow. [Obs.]
All sorts, flights, rovers, and butt shafts. B. Jonson. At rovers, at casual marks; hence, at random; as, shooting at rovers. See def. 5 (a) above. Addison.
Bound down on every side with many bands because it shall not run at rovers. Robynson (More's Utopia). Roving (Rov"ing), n.
1. The operatin of forming the rove, or slightly twisted sliver or roll of wool or cotton, by means of a
machine for the purpose, called a roving frame, or roving machine.
2. A roll or sliver of wool or cotton drawn out and slightly twisted; a rove. See 2d Rove, 2.
Roving frame, Roving machine, a machine for drawing and twisting roves and twisting roves and
winding them on bobbin for the spinning machine.
Roving (Rov"ing), n. The act of one who roves or wanders.
Rovingly (Rov"ing*ly), adv. In a wandering manner.
Rovingness (Rov"ing*ness), n. The state of roving.
Row (Row) a. & adv. [See Rough.] Rough; stern; angry. [Obs.] "Lock he never so row." Chaucer.
Row (Row), n. [Abbrev. fr. rouse, n.] A noisy, turbulent quarrel or disturbance; a brawl. [Colloq.] Byron.
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