▪ I. rove, n.1 Now dial.
(rʌv)
Also 6 rofe, 7 roufe.
[a. ON. hrufa (Norw. ruva, Sw. rufva, Da. roe) or MDu. rove (Du. roof), MLG. rove, roffe (LG. rove, rave, etc.), MHG. (and G.) rufe, related to OHG. riob, ON. hrj{uacu}fr, OE. hréof scabby, leprous.]
1. † a. A scabby, scaly, or scurfy condition of the skin. Obs.
| a 1400 Stockholm Med. MS. in Anglia XVIII. 117 For hym þat hath skabbe or roue. 1425 26 Pol. Poems 111 From worldis worschipe y am shoue, And brouȝt abas from al astat; My skyn is cloþed al on roue. |
b. A scab; the scaly crust of a healed or healing wound.
| 1590 P. Barrough Meth. Physick ii. iv. (1639) 76 The unskilfull..pull away the scab or rove, which they ought not to do before they see the rove lifted up. 1601 Holland Pliny II. 448 The gall likewise of the Sea-scorpion, taketh off the roufe of sores. 1823 E. Moor Suffolk Wds. 320. 1897 N. & Q. 7th Ser. XI. 67. |
† 2. A rind, hard skin, or crust. Obs. rare.
| 1530 Palsgr. 263/2 Rofe of baken or befe. 1601 Holland Pliny I. 377 The very pure and perfect Baulme.., when it hath gum mingled among,..will gather soon a brittle roufe or crust vpon it, which quickly cracks and breaks. |
▪ II. rove, n.2
(rəʊv)
Forms: α. 5 rewe, rowe. β. 5 rofe, roff(e, 6 rugh, 7 roue, rooue, 5– rove. See also roove n.
[a. ON. ró (Norw. ro, Fær. rógv), in the same sense. On the excrescent v of the usual forms cf. the etym. note to ro n.]
1. A small metal plate or ring on which the point of a nail or rivet is clinched or beaten down in the building of boats or small ships; a burr.
| α c 1440 York Myst. viii. 109 Take here a revette, and þere a rewe [rime newe]. ? a 1500 Newcastle Play 26 All things I him fulfill, Pitch, tar, seam, and rowe [rime therto]. |
| β 1406 Durh. Acc. Rolls (Surtees) 606 Item in exp. Ricardi Couhird..pro seme et Rufe. 1474–5 Ibid. 645 Cum seme, rove, clavis ferr. et lign. pice, et bitumine emp. pro eadem. 1486–95 [see 2]. a 1625 Nomenclator Navalis (Harl. MS. 2301), The Rove is that little iron plate into which the clinch nails are clinched. 1750 T. R. Blanckley Nav. Expos. 137 Roves, are small square Pieces of Iron, with a Hole punched in the Middle of them, through which the Nail goes, where it is clenched, and fastens the Boards of Pinnaces, Yawles, or Wherries to one another. 1794 Rigging & Seamanship 8 Rove, a small square piece of iron, with a hole in the middle, whereon is clenched the point of a nail, to prevent its drawing. 1860 Tomlinson Arts & Manuf. Ser. ii. Steel 43 They are clenched either by hammering down the extremity, or by placing over it a little diamond-shaped plate of metal called a rove, and rivetting the end of the clench nail down upon it. 1889 [see clinch n.1 1]. 1894 Heslop Northumb. Gloss., Seam-nail, a nail without a point,..on to which a rove is rivetted. |
† 2. rove and clinch (nails), nails provided with roves for clinching. Obs.
| 1486 Naval Acc. Hen. VII (1896) 15, lxj lb di. of long Rofe & clenche. 1495 Ibid. 152 Roff & clynche nayles xliiij lb... In clynche worke Roff & nayle xij1. 1598 Stow Surv. (1603) 139 Nayled with rugh and clench. 1626 Capt. Smith Accid. Yng. Seamen 3 The Carpenter and his Mate is to haue the Nayles, Clinches, roue and clinch-nailes. |
| ellipt. 1644 H. Manwayring Seaman's Dict. 86 The Planckes of Clincher-boates, are thus fastned together, which kind of work is called Rove and Clinch. |
▪ III. † rove, n.3 Obs.
Also 7–8 roove.
[ad. F. arrove, obs. var. arrobe, ad. Sp. and Pg. arroba.]
= arroba.
| α 1588 Parke tr. Mendoza's Hist. China 350 You shall haue foure roues of wine..for foure rials of plate,..foure roues of suger for five rials. 1596 Mellis Recorde's Gr. Artes 543 Forraine wools, to wit, French, Spanish, and Estrich, is also sold by the pound or C. weight, but most commonly by the Roue, 25 pounds to a Rove. 1632 Lithgow Trav. x. 482 Two Roves of Figges and Rasins. 1699 J. Dickenson Jrnl. Trav. 69 We had five Roves of Ammunition-Bread..; twenty Roves of strung Beef; sixty Roves of Indian-Corn. 1720 Lond. Gaz. No. 5911/1 A Rove..is 32 Pounds. |
| β 1656 Phillips Purch. Patt. (1676) 213 There are some other denominations of these weights in several places, as..Rooves. 1712 W. Rogers Voy. (1718) 39 Our boat returned and brought a present, being a Roove of fine sugar. 1714 Lond. Gaz. No. 5190/2 Fifty Rooves of Gold. |
▪ IV. rove, n.4
(rəʊv)
[f. rove v.1]
1. A ramble or wandering.
| 1742 Young Nt. Th. ix. 673 In thy nocturnal rove, one moment halt. 1840 Browning Sordello ii. 269 Sordello's paradise, his roves Among the hills and valleys, plains and groves. 1870 Pall Mall G. 24 Aug. 10, I have not set off on my day's rove without taking precautions. |
| fig. 1786 Burns Ep. to Young Friend vi, Never tempt th' illicit rove, Tho' naething should divulge it. |
b. In phr. on or upon the rove; dial. a rove.
| 1828 Carr Craven Gloss. s.v., Cattle are..said to be all a rove when they are running about in hot weather. 1830 Galt Lawrie T. viii. xii, He went upon the rove. 1876 Besant & Rice Gold. Butterfly xx, Isaac went around on the rove. |
2. Sc. A mental wandering or raving. rare—1.
| 1789 J. Brown Rem. (1807) 274 In his roves he was often about that place. |
3. dial. A method of light ploughing.
| 1702 Farm Lease (Essex), The Landlord is to allow the tennant 4/- an acre for every acre plowed to clean, and 2/- an acre for every Rove for what land is fallowed, the tennant not exceeding three earths and 1 Rove. 1740 in Cullum Hist. Hawsted (1784) 217 Three clean earths and a rove. 1784 Ibid., A rove is half a ploughing: two furrows are made instead of four. 1808 Young's Ann. Agric. XLV. 342 Instead of an entire clean earth of four furrows, the plough goes over it, making only two, this slight kind of ploughing is sometimes..called a rove. 1823– in E. Anglian and Essex glossaries. |
▪ V. rove, n.5
(rəʊv)
Also 9 roove.
[Related to rove v.3]
1. A sliver of any fibrous material (esp. cotton or wool) drawn out and very slightly twisted.
| 1789 E. Darwin Bot. Gard. (1791) II. 58 With quicken'd pace successive rollers move, And these retain, and those extend the rove. 1801 Encycl. Brit. Suppl. II. 518/1 Such is the state of the slab or roove of the first formation. 1839 Ure Dict. Arts 357, 30 coils of the sliver or roove are laid in one length of the bobbin barrel. 1884 W. S. B. M{supc}Laren Spinning (ed. 2) 54 The carriage..drawing out the rove which has been thus delivered. |
2. collect. Textile material in this form.
| 1901 Scotsman 9 Oct. 11/3 Rove is quiet at {pstlg}9. 10s. for 200 lb. |
▪ VI. rove, v.1
(rəʊv)
Forms: 5–7 roue, 6 roaue, 6–8 roave, 5– rove.
[Of doubtful origin: possibly a Midland form of rave v.2 to stray (cf. note to rover1). In senses 5 and 6 perhaps partly influenced by rove v.2]
I. † 1. intr. To shoot with arrows at a mark selected at pleasure or at random, and not of any fixed distance. Also without const. Obs.
The object of roving was evidently to give practice in finding the range of the mark, while shooting at the butts and pricks taught accuracy of aim.
| 1474 Coventry Leet Bk. 389 Þat no maner persone of þis Citie frohensfurth rove, but shote at stondyng prikkes & buttes. 1586 Warner Alb. Eng. ii. ix. 39, I see him roue at others marke, and I vnmarkt to be. 1622 Drayton Poly-olb. xxvi. 122 At Markes full fortie score, they used to Prick and Rove. 1633 Bp. Hall Hard Texts, N.T. 123 A certain man drew a bow without any aim or intention of any speciall marke but only roving in common at the army. |
† b. fig. or in fig. context. Obs.
| 1565 Jewel Reply Harding (1611) 412 Which purpose if he neuer vouchsafe once to touch, but range abroad, as his manner is, & roaue idlely at matters impertinent, then must wee needes say he bewraieth his want. 1579 Spenser Sheph. Cal. Aug. 79 She rovde at me with glauncing eye. 1602 W. Fulbecke 2nd Pt. Parallel 55, I would first that Anglo⁓nomoph. should shew..in what sort partition is made: otherwise I should but roue at an vncertaine marke. 1615 T. Adams White Devil 3 His hypocrisie that roaved at the poore, but levelled at his profit. |
† c. esp. To form a conjecture, to guess (at a thing). Obs.
| 1558 in Feuillerat Revels Q. Eliz. (1908) 17 The chardge may be roved at. 1600 Hakluyt Voy. (1810) III. 46 Yet did he but rove at the Matter, or (at the least) gathered the knowledge of it by Conjectures only. 1627 Bp. Hall Epist. iii. v. 324 Then I could tell how to take a direct aime, whereas now I must roue and coniecture. 1674 N. Fairfax Bulk & Selv. 168 That Centaur and Meremaid, that never were but in the wildest thoughts of him that sometimes roved at them. |
† d. With complement expressing distance. Obs.
| 1590 Sir J. Smyth Disc. Weapons 46 b, Two or three scores off; and rouing sixe, seauen, or eight scores. c 1590 Greene Fr. Bacon (1630) 7 But Bacon roues a bow beyond his reach, And tels of more then Magicke can performe. |
† 2. To shoot away from a mark; hence, to wander from the point; to diverge, or digress. Obs.
| c 1555 Harpsfield Divorce Hen. VIII (Camden) 52 Thus you see how far and wide the adversaries rove from the mark and matter they should shoot at. 1581 W. Charke in Conf. iv. (1584) D d iiij, Roue not in generall discourses, that come not neere the marke. 1633 Bp. Hall Hard Texts, N.T. 304 From which graces some having roved, and taken a wrong aime.., have turned aside into vain jangling. 1648 Milton Sonn. xii. 13 But from that mark how far they roave we see. |
† 3. trans. a. To aim at (a mark). Obs.—1
| 1546 J. Heywood Prov. (1867) 30 Yet haue ye other markis to roue at hand. |
† b. To shoot (an arrow, etc.) without fixed aim. Hence fig., to utter at random. Obs.
| 1581 J. Bell Haddon's Answ. Osorius 161 If Osorius require this at our handes, that whatsoever his lavishe tounge shall rashly roave at large, be coyned for an unreproveable oracle. 1596 Harington Apol. Ajax (1814) 39 After they had roved three or four idle words to praise a man, straight they marr all at the buts. 1607 ― in Nugæ Ant. (1804) II. 47 Manie bowlts were roved after him, and some spitefullie feather'd. |
† c. To pierce with arrows, etc. Obs.
Perhaps by confusion with rove, pa. tense of rive v.1 3.
| a 1575 tr. Pol. Verg. Eng. Hist. (Camden) I. 44 He roved the olde man throughe with his swerde. Ibid. 143 They roved him throughe with arrowse. |
4. intr. Angling. To troll with live bait.
| 1661 Walton Angler (ed. 3) xii. 184 If you rove for a Pearch with a Minnow, then it is best to be alive. 1787 T. Best Angling (ed. 2) 49 If you rove for him, with a minnow or frog (which is a very pleasant way) then your line should be strong. 1867 F. Francis Angling ii. (1880) 71 Roving for barbel is not often resorted to. |
II. 5. intr. To wander about with no fixed destination; to move hither and thither at random or in a leisurely fashion; to stray, roam, ramble.
| 1536 Act 27 Hen. VIII, c. 28 §1 A greate multytude of the Relygyous persons in suche smale Houses doo rather chose to rove abrode in apostasy than to conforme them to the observacion of good Relygyon. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 156 The Souldiours that lay in Southwarke..roued ouer vnto Westminster, and spoyled there the kinges Palace. 1627 Hakewill Apol. (1630) 282 On Sea we rou'd three dayes as darke as night. 1650 Fuller Pisgah i. v. 12 Such the store of ravenous beasts freely roaving up and down the countrey. 1711 Steele Spect. No. 254 ¶3 One would think you..roved among the Walks of Paradise. 1798 Wordsw. Peter Bell i. 241 He roved among the vales and streams, In the green wood and hollow dell. c 1835 Willis Florence Gray 48, I have roved From wild America to Bosphor's waters. 1879 Froude Cæsar ix. 98 They roved over the waters at their pleasure, attacking islands or commercial ports. |
| transf. a 1691 Boyle Hist. of Air (1692) 249 The numerous sorts of saline corpuscles that rove up and down in the air. 1850 W. Collins Antonina iv, The rich light roved over the waters. |
b. fig. or in fig. context.
| 1579 Gosson Sch. Abuse (Arb.) 16 When Ouid had roaued long on the Seas of wantonnesse, hee became a good Pilot to all that followed. 1598 Barret Theor. Warres iii. i. 32, I haue in generall roued ouer some part thereof alreadie. 1658–9 in Burton's Diary (1828) IV. 37, I had rather that this House were laid aside by a question, than rove up and down thus, and do nought. 1667 Duchess of Newcastle Life Dk. N. (1886) iv. 253 For though my judgment roves at random, yet it can never miss of errors. 1738 Wesley Hymns, ‘Infinite Power, Eternal Lord’ ix, Then shall my Feet no more depart, Nor my Affections rove. 1784 Cowper Task iv. 232 Roving as I rove, Where shall I find an end, or how proceed? 1812 Crabbe Tales ii. 399 Then roved his spirit to the inland wood. |
c. Of the eyes: To look in various directions; to wander. Also transf.
| a 1656 Bp. Hall Rem. Wks. (1660) 951 Durst we give our eyes leave to rove abroad in wanton glances? 1737 Gentl. Mag. VII. 697/1 Her eyes rove fast his wish'd approach to hail. 1838 James Robber i, The stranger's eye roved on to the landscape. 1902 ‘Linesman’ Words Eyewitness 126 A Boer searchlight..which roved like an angry eye from end to end of our line of march. |
d. To extend, stretch out. rare—1.
| 1639 Fuller Holy War v. xviii. (1840) 273 North Eastward, it [the kingdom] roued ouer the principalities of Antioch and Edessa. |
6. trans. To wander over, traverse.
| 1634 Milton Comus 60 Comus..Roaving the Celtick and Iberian fields, At last betakes him to this ominous Wood. 1667 ― P.L. ix. 575 On a day roaving the field, I chanc'd A goodly Tree farr distant to behold. 1725 Pope Odyss. x. 335 O blind to fate! what led thy steps to rove The horrid mazes of this magic grove? 1783 W. Thomson Watson's Philip III, vi. (1793) II. 248 He had also ships of war under his command which roved the sea. 1807 Wordsw. Misc. Sonn. ii. xviii, A labyrinth, Lady! which your feet shall rove. 1859 Tennyson Elaine 35 Roving the trackless realms of Lyonnesse. |
† 7. refl. To betake oneself to wandering. Obs.—1
| 1653 E. Chisenhale Cath. Hist. 376 They quit the harbor adjoyning to that Rock, and rove themselves upon the billows of strange contests. |
8. dial. To wander in mind or in speech, to rave; to be light-headed or delirious. Chiefly Sc.
| 1720 Pennecuik Helicon 15, I roave, all sense is gone, I'll fly away. 1766 Shirra Deathbed Dial. in Rem. (1850) 26 He roved much through this day. 1824 Mactaggart Gallovid. Encycl. 414 When one talks while sleeping, we are said to be roving in our sleep. 1897 J. Hammond Cornish Parish 339 If we are distracted with pain, we are ‘roving’. |
▪ VII. † rove, v.2 Obs.
Also 6–7 roue.
[ad. MDu. or MLG. roven to rob (see reave v.1), but perh. not clearly distinguished from prec.]
intr. To practise piracy; to sail as pirates.
| a 1548 Hall Chron., Edw. IV 222 The bastard..made sayle with all haste & Roued on the sea. 1553 Brende Q. Curtius B iiij, He became a Pirate, and roved on the sea, where he toke .170. shippes. 1613 Purchas Pilgrimage vi. viii. (1614) 601 Tripolis,..a receptacle of the Pyrats, which roue and rob in those seas. 1698 Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 42 With fourteen Sails of Ships they roved on the Coasts of Malabar. |
▪ VIII. rove, v.3
(rəʊv)
[Of obscure origin: cf. rove n.5]
trans. To form (slivers of wool or cotton) into roves or rovings.
| 1789 Trans. Soc. Arts I. 34 The Cotton is carded, roved and spun into threads. 1796 Morse Amer. Geogr. I. 543 Machinery to sliver, rove, and spin flax and hemp. 1835 Ure Philos. Manuf. 215 Although both [flax and wool] must be roved and spun upon similar principles, each requires peculiar modifications in its machinery. 1879 Cassell's Techn. Educ. I. 214/1 The cotton is..cleaned... After that it is roved, a process by which each ribbon is greatly attenuated. |
▪ IX. † rove, v.4 Obs.—1
(Meaning not clear.)
| c 1330 Arth. & Merl. 1935 (Kölbing), A beggar þer com in... Wiþ his scholder he gan roue & bad gode, for godes loue. |
▪ X. rove, v.5 dial.
Also 9 roove.
[Of obscure origin.]
(See quots.)
| 1711 Brit. Apollo No. 143. 2/1 It is Bacon before it is roved or dry'd. 1847 Halliw., Roove, to dry meat in a chimney, or over a kiln. Glouc. 1890 Glouc. Gloss., Rove, to smoke-dry meat. |
▪ XI. rove, v.6
(rəʊv)
[Of obscure origin.]
trans. To reduce (a grindstone) in diameter by means of a special tool.
| 1850– [see roving vbl. n.4]. |
▪ XII. rove, ppl. a. rare—1.
(rəʊv)
[irreg. pa. pple. of rive v.1]
rove-ash, made of riven ash-wood.
| 1802 Naval Chron. IX. 293 A rove-ash oar that will dress clean and light, is too pliant. |
▪ XIII. rove
pa. tense and pa. pple. of reeve v.1; pa. tense of rive v.1 and v.2; Sc. var. of ro, rest; obs. f. roof n.