▪ I. rown Now dial.
(raʊn)
Forms: α. 5 rowne, 6 pl. rounis, 8 roon, 9 rowan; 8– rown. β. 5, 9 rownd (9 round).
[a. ON. hrogn (Icel. hrogn, Fær., Norw., and Da. rogn; MSw. rughn, rompn, Sw. rom), = OHG. rogan (G. rogen): cf. roe2, roan n.4, and rawn.]
1. The roe of a fish.
| α c 1440 Promp. Parv. 438/2 Rowne, of a fysche, liquamen. 1483 Cath. Angl. 311/1 A Rowne of Fysche, lactis. 1536 Bellenden Cron. Scot. (1821) I. xliii, The hie fische spawnis his meltis, and the scho fische hir rounis, and incontinent coveris thaim ouir with sand. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. I. 50 The hie Salmonte haueng castne the meltis, and the sche salmonte the Rounis. 1796 Lauderdale Poems 64 As lang's ye pay our annual fees in milts an' rowns. 1824 Mactaggart Gallovid. Encycl. s.v. Milts, Herrings..with milts, are said to be the male herring, the other with rowns, the female. 1894 Heslop Northumbld. Gloss., Rowan, Rown, the roe of a fish. |
| β c 1475 Pict. Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 765 Hoc laquamen, rownd. 1868– in dial. glossaries (Cleveland, Whitby, E. Anglia). |
2. The turbot; = rodden-fluke. ? Obs.
| 1793 Statist. Acc. Scot. IX. 337 Formerly there was a very plentiful fishing upon the coast here, consisting of cod, ling, haddock, rowan or turbot, skait, &c... But..none are now caught but a few cod, rowan, and skait. |
Hence ˈrowning-time, the spawning season.
| 1893 H. T. Cozens-Hardy Broad Norf. 77. |
▪ II. rown
obs. f. round.