▪ I. † ro, n. Obs.
Forms: α. 3–5 ro, 4–5 roo, 4 rou, 5 rowe. β. Sc. 5 ruf, ruff, 6 rufe, ruve, rove, roif.
[a. ON. and Icel. ró (Norw., Sw., and Da. ro, Fær. rógv), = OE. rów (once), Fris. rouwe, MDu. rouwe, roe, (M)LG. rouwe, rôwe, rou(e, rô(e, OHG. ruowa (MHG. ruow(e, later ruw) and rôa (MHG. ruo, rue, G. ruhe, ruh), regarded as cognate with Gr. ἐρωή cessation, rest. With the Sc. forms rufe, ruve, etc. (= r{obar}ːv), compare roove rivet-burr:—ON. ró, cruive var. of croo, and the northern grofe, grove (:—ON. gróa), obs. variants of grow v.]
Rest, repose, peace.
| α c 1200 Ormin 7042 Cristess resste & Cristess ro & Cristess swete slæpess. a 1225 Juliana 77 Ich aȝeoue þe mi gast,..& do hit, blisfule godd,..to ro & to reste. a 1300 Cursor M. 1007 Paradis is a..land o liue, o ro, and rest. 13.. Coer de L. 7135 God geve us alle good endyng, And hys soule reste and roo! c 1375 XI Pains of Hell 299 in O.E. Misc. 220 Al þe fest of þe sununday..Þai schal haue rou and rest perpetualy. c 1440 York Myst. iv. 38 Nowe ar we brought Bothe vnto rest and rowe [rimes to, doo]. c 1450 St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 4880 Þar durst na paynym eftirward Assayle,..Bot lete þaim rest in ro. |
| β c 1450 Holland Howlat 14 This riche Revir dovn ran, but resting or ruf, Throwe ane forest. c 1470 Henry Wallace vi. 60 Now at vnes, now in to rest and ruff. c 1560 A. Scott Poems (S.T.S.) xxxi. 5 His mynd sall moif, But rest or ruve. Ibid. xxxvi. 85 As wes, is, salbe ay, but roif. c 1570 Montgomerie Misc. Poems vi. 20 To run that race but ather rest or rove. |
b. In asseverative phrases, as so have I ro!
| c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xlii. (Agatha) 134 Þat I for-think, sa haf I ro. c 1400 Laud Troy Bk. 17568 Sithen ȝe it say I wol also Aȝeyn my wille—so haue I ro! c 1460 Towneley Myst. iii. 237 Full well may we mys the, as euer haue I ro. ? a 1500 Chester Pl. (E.E.T.S.) vii. 401 As ever haue I rest or rowe, much he spake of glasse. |
▪ II. † ro, v. Obs. rare.
Also 4 rone, 6 Sc. rufe, ruve.
[f. ro n. With sense 1 cf. MSw. roas to rest oneself, Sw. roa to amuse, Norw. roa to bring to rest; and with sense 2, MSw. roa, MDu. r(o)uwen, MLG. r(ou)wen, OHG. ruowon (MHG. ruowen, G. ruhen), to rest.]
1. refl. To recreate (oneself). rare—1.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 3351 Ysaac him yode to rone [Gött. went him forto ro], Thoght on thing he had to done [Gött. to do]. |
2. intr. Sc. To have or take repose.
| c 1560 A. Scott Poems (S.T.S.) xxx. 19 That thay ma nowþir rest nor rufe, Till thay mischeif þair sellis. a 1568 Montgomerie Misc. Poems lii. 14 My mad misfortoun dois me so commuve, That I may nowthir rest nor ruve. |
▪ III. ro
obs. f. roe.