Rove - Rubaiyat

Prev Next

Rove (rōv), v. t. [perhaps fr. or akin to reeve.] 1. To draw through an eye or aperture.
[ Webster]

2. To draw out into flakes; to card, as wool. Jamieson.
[ Webster]

3. To twist slightly; to bring together, as slivers of wool or cotton, and twist slightly before spinning.
[ Webster]

Rove (rōv), n. 1. A copper washer upon which the end of a nail is clinched in boat building.
[ Webster]

2. A roll or sliver of wool or cotton drawn out and slighty twisted, preparatory to further process; a roving.
[ Webster]

Rove, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Roved (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Roving.] [Cf. D. rooven to rob; akin to E. reave. See , .] 1. To practice robbery on the seas; to wander about on the seas in piracy. [Obs.] Hakluyt.
[ Webster]

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.
[ Webster]

For who has power to walk has power to rove. Arbuthnot.
[ Webster]

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).
[ Webster]

Fair Venus' son, that with thy cruel dart
At that good knight so cunningly didst rove. Spenser.
[ Webster]

Syn. -- To wander; roam; range; ramble stroll.
[ Webster]

Rove, v. t. 1. To wander over or through.
[ Webster]

Roving the field, I chanced
A goodly tree far distant to behold. milton.
[ Webster]

2. To plow into ridges by turning the earth of two furrows together.
[ Webster]

Rove, n. The act of wandering; a ramble.
[ Webster]

In thy nocturnal rove one moment halt. Young.
[ Webster]

Coloq. 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.
[ Webster]

Rover (?), n. [D. roover a robber. See , v. i.] 1. One who practices robbery on the seas; a pirate.
[ Webster]

Yet Pompey the Great deserveth honor more justly for scouring the seas, and taking from the rovers 846 sail of ships. Holland.
[ Webster]

2. One who wanders about by sea or land; a wanderer; a rambler.
[ Webster]

3. Hence, a fickle, inconstant person.
[ Webster]

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.
[ Webster]

5. (Archery) (a) Casual marks at uncertain distances. Encyc. Brit.
[ Webster]

(b) A sort of arrow. [Obs.]
[ Webster]

All sorts, flights, rovers, and butt shafts. B. Jonson.
[ Webster]

Coloq. At rovers , at casual marks; hence, at random; as, shooting at rovers. See def. 5 (a) above. Addison.
[ Webster]
Bound down on every side with many bands because it shall not run at rovers. Robynson (More's Utopia).
[ Webster]

Roving, 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.
[ Webster]

2. A roll or sliver of wool or cotton drawn out and slightly twisted; a rove. See 2d , 2.
[ Webster]

Coloq. Roving frame , Coloq. Roving machine , a machine for drawing and twisting roves and twisting roves and winding them on bobbin for the spinning machine.
[ Webster]

Roving, n. The act of one who roves or wanders.
[ Webster]

Rovingly, adv. In a wandering manner.
[ Webster]

Rovingness, n. The state of roving.
[ Webster]

Row (?), a. & adv. [See .] Rough; stern; angry. [Obs.] “Lock he never so row.” Chaucer.
[ Webster]

Row, n. [Abbrev. fr. rouse, n.] A noisy, turbulent quarrel or disturbance; a brawl. [Colloq.] Byron.
[ Webster]

Row (?), n. [OE. rowe, rawe, rewe, AS. rāw, r�w; probably akin to D. rij, G. reihe; cf. Skr. r�khā a line, stroke.] A series of persons or things arranged in a continued line; a line; a rank; a file; as, a row of trees; a row of houses or columns.
[ Webster]

And there were windows in three rows. 1 Kings vii. 4.
[ Webster]

The bright seraphim in burning row. Milton.
[ Webster]

Coloq. Row culture (Agric.), the practice of cultivating crops in drills. -- Coloq. Row of points (Geom.), the points on a line, infinite in number, as the points in which a pencil of rays is intersected by a line.
[ Webster]

Row (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Rowed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Rowing.] [AS. r�wan; akin to D. roeijen, MHG. rüejen, Dan. roe, Sw. ro, Icel. r�a, L. remus oar, Gr. �, Skr. aritra. √8. Cf. .] 1. To propel with oars, as a boat or vessel, along the surface of water; as, to row a boat.
[ Webster]

2. To transport in a boat propelled with oars; as, to row the captain ashore in his barge.
[ Webster]

Row, v. i. 1. To use the oar; as, to row well.
[ Webster]

2. To be moved by oars; as, the boat rows easily.
[ Webster]

Row, n. The act of rowing; excursion in a rowboat.
[ Webster]

Rowable (?), a. That may be rowed, or rowed upon. “That long barren fen, once rowable.” B. Jonson.
[ Webster]

Rowan (?), n. Rowan tree.
[ Webster]

Coloq. Rowan barry , a barry of the rowan tree.
[ Webster]

Rowan tree (?). [Cf. Sw. rönn, Dan. rönne, Icel. reynir, and L. ornus.] (Bot.) A european tree (Pyrus aucuparia) related to the apple, but with pinnate leaves and flat corymbs of small white flowers followed by little bright red berries. Called also roan tree, and mountain ash. The name is also applied to two American trees of similar habit (Pyrus Americana, and Pyrus sambucifolia).
[ Webster]

Rowboat (?), n. A boat designed to be propelled by oars instead of sails.
[ Webster]

Rowdy (?), n.; pl. Rowdies (#). [From , or Row a brawl.] One who engages in rows, or noisy quarrels; a ruffianly fellow. M. Arnold.
[ Webster]

Rowdydow (?), n. Hubbub; uproar. [Vulgar]
[ Webster]

Rowdydowdy (?), a. Uproarious. [Vulgar]
[ Webster]

Rowdyish, a. Resembling a rowdy in temper or conduct; characteristic of a rowdy.
[ Webster]

Rowdyism (?), n. the conduct of a rowdy.
[ Webster]

Rowed (?), a. Formed into a row, or rows; having a row, or rows; as, a twelve-rowed ear of corn.
[ Webster]

Rowel (?), n. [OF. roele, rouele, properly, a little wheel, F. rouelle collop, slice, LL. rotella a little wheel, dim. of L. rota a wheel. See , and cf. .] 1. The little wheel of a spur, with sharp points.
[ Webster]

With sounding whip, and rowels dyed in blood. Cowper.
[ Webster]

2. A little flat ring or wheel on horses' bits.
[ Webster]

The iron rowels into frothy foam he bit. Spenser.
[ Webster]

3. (Far.) A roll of hair, silk, etc., passed through the flesh of horses, answering to a seton in human surgery.
[ Webster]

Rowel, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Roweled (?) or Rowelled; p. pr. & vb. n. Roweling or Rowelling.] (Far.) To insert a rowel, or roll of hair or silk, into (as the flesh of a horse). Mortimer.
[ Webster]

Rowel bone (?). See . [Obs.]
[ Webster]

Rowen (?), n. [Cf. E. rough, OE. row, rowe.] [Called also rowet, rowett, rowings, roughings.] 1. A stubble field left unplowed till late in the autumn, that it may be cropped by cattle.
[ Webster]

Turn your cows, that give milk, into your rowens till snow comes. Mortimer.
[ Webster]

2. The second growth of grass in a season; aftermath. [Prov. Eng. & Local, U.S.]
[ Webster]

Rower (?), n. One who rows with an oar.
[ Webster]

Rowett (?), n. See .
[ Webster]

Rowlock (? colloq. �), n. [For oarlock; AS. ☞rloc, where the second part is skin to G. loch a hole, E. lock a fastening. See , and .] 1. (Naut.) A contrivance or arrangement serving as a fulcrum for an oar in rowing. It consists sometimes of a notch in the gunwale of a boat, sometimes of a pair of pins between which the oar rests on the edge of the gunwale, sometimes of a single pin passing through the oar, or of a metal fork or stirrup pivoted in the gunwale and suporting the oar; same as . [Chiefly Brit.]
[ Webster +PJC]

2. One of the rings of masonry included in an arch having more than one ring.
[PJC]

Rown (?), v. i. & t. see . [Obs.] Chaucer.
[ Webster]

Rowport (?), n. (Naut.) An opening in the side of small vessels of war, near the surface of the water, to facilitate rowing in calm weather.
[ Webster]

Roxburgh (?; Scot. �), n. [From the third duke of Roxburgh (Scotland), a noted book collector who had his books so bound.] A style of bookbinding in which the back is plain leather, the sides paper or cloth, the top gilt-edged, but the front and bottom left uncut.
[ Webster]

Roy (roi), n. [F. roi.] A king. [obs.]
[ Webster]

Roy, a. Royal. [Obs.] Chapman.
[ Webster]

Royal (?), a. [OE. roial, riall, real, OF. roial. reial, F. royal, fr. L. regalis, fr. rex, regis, king. See , and cf. , a coin, .] 1. Kingly; pertaining to the crown or the sovereign; suitable for a king or queen; regal; as, royal power or prerogative; royal domains; the royal family; royal state.
[ Webster]

2. Noble; generous; magnificent; princely.
[ Webster]

How doth that royal merchant, good Antonio? Shak.
[ Webster]

3. Under the patronage of royality; holding a charter granted by the sovereign; as, the Royal Academy of Arts; the Royal Society.
[ Webster]

Coloq. Battle royal . See under . -- Coloq. Royal bay (Bot.), the classic laurel (Laurus nobilis.) -- Coloq. Royal eagle . (Zoöl.) See Golden eagle, under . -- Coloq. Royal fern (Bot.), the handsome fern Osmunda regalis. See . -- Coloq. Royal mast (Naut.), the mast next above the topgallant mast and usually the highest on a square-rigged vessel. The royal yard and royal sail are attached to the royal mast. -- Coloq. Royal metal , an old name for gold. -- Coloq. Royal palm (Bot.), a magnificent West Indian palm tree (Oreodoxa regia), lately discovered also in Florida. -- Coloq. Royal pheasant . See . -- Coloq. Royal purple , an intense violet color, verging toward blue. -- Coloq. Royal tern (Zoöl.), a large, crested American tern (Sterna maxima). -- Coloq. Royal tiger . (Zoöl.) See . -- Coloq. Royal touch , the touching of a diseased person by the hand of a king, with the view of restoring to health; -- formerly extensively practiced, particularly for the scrofula, or king's evil.
[ Webster]

Syn. -- Kingly; regal; monarchical; imperial; kinglike; princely; august; majestic; superb; splendid; illustrious; noble; magnanimous.
[ Webster]

Royal, n. 1. Printing and writing papers of particular sizes. See under , n.
[ Webster]

2. (Naut.) A small sail immediately above the topgallant sail. Totten.
[ Webster]

3. (Zoöl.) One of the upper or distal branches of an antler, as the third and fourth tynes of the antlers of a stag.
[ Webster]

4. (Gun.) A small mortar.
[ Webster]

5. (Mil.) One of the soldiers of the first regiment of foot of the British army, formerly called the Royals, and supposed to be the oldest regular corps in Europe; -- now called the Royal Scots.
[ Webster]

6. An old English coin. See .
[ Webster]

7. (Auction Bridge) A royal spade.
[Webster Suppl.]

Royalet (?), n. A petty or powerless king. [R.]
[ Webster]

there were at this time two other royalets, as only kings by his leave. Fuller.
[ Webster]

Royalism (?), n. [Cf. F. royalisme.] the principles or conduct of royalists.
[ Webster]

Royalist, n. [Cf. F. royaliste.] An adherent of a king (as of Charles I. in England, or of the Bourbons in france); one attached to monarchical government.
[ Webster]

Where Ca'ndish fought, the Royalists prevailed. Waller.
[ Webster]

Royalization (?), n. The act of making loyal to a king. [R.] Saintsbury.
[ Webster]

Royalize (?), v. t. to make royal. Shak.
[ Webster]

Royally (?), adv. In a royal or kingly manner; like a king; as becomes a king.
[ Webster]

His body shall be royally interred. Dryden.
[ Webster]

Royal spade. (Auction Bridge) A spade when spades are trumps under the condition that every trick over six taken by the successful bidder has a score value of 9; -- usually in pl.
[Webster Suppl.]

Royalty (?), n.; pl. Royalties (#). [OF. roialté, royaulté, F. royauté. See , and cf. .] 1. The state of being royal; the condition or quality of a royal person; kingship; kingly office; sovereignty.
[ Webster]

Royalty by birth was the sweetest way of majesty. Holyday.
[ Webster]

2. The person of a king or sovereign; majesty; as, in the presence of royalty.
[ Webster]

For thus his royalty doth speak. Shak.
[ Webster]

3. An emblem of royalty; -- usually in the plural, meaning regalia. [Obs.]
[ Webster]

Wherefore do I assume
These royalties, and not refuse to reign? Milton.
[ Webster]

4. Kingliness; spirit of regal authority.
[ Webster]

In his royalty of nature
Reigns that which would be fear'd. Shak.
[ Webster]

5. Domain; province; sphere. Sir W. Scott.
[ Webster]

6. That which is due to a sovereign, as a seigniorage on gold and silver coined at the mint, metals taken from mines, etc.; the tax exacted in lieu of such share; imperiality.
[ Webster]

7. A share of the product or profit (as of a mine, forest, etc.), reserved by the owner for permitting another to use the property.
[ Webster]

8. Hence (Com.), a duty paid by a manufacturer to the owner of a patent or a copyright at a certain rate for each article manufactured; or, a percentage paid to the owner of an article by one who hires the use of it.
[ Webster]

Royne (roin), v. t. [F. rogner, OF. rooignier, to clip, pare, scare, fr. L. rotundus round See .] To bite; to gnaw. [Written also roin.] [Obs.] Spenser.
[ Webster]

Roynish, a. [F. rogneux, from rogne scab, mange, itch.] Mangy; scabby; hence, mean; paltry; troublesome. [Written also roinish.] [Obs.] “The roynish clown.” Shak.
[ Webster]

{ Royster (?), Roysterer (?) }, n. same as , .
[ Webster]

Royston crow (?). [So called from Royston, a town in England.] (Zoöl.) See Hooded crow, under .
[ Webster]

Roytelet (?), n. [F. roitelet, dim. of roi king.] A little king. [Archaic] Heylin. Bancroft.
[ Webster]

Roytish (?), a. [Prob. for riotish, from riot, like Scot. roytous for riotous.] Wild; irregular. [Obs.]
[ Webster]

Rub (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Rubbed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Rubbing.] [Probably of Celtic origin; cf. W. rhwbiaw, gael. rub.] 1. To subject (a body) to the action of something moving over its surface with pressure and friction, especially to the action of something moving back and forth; as, to rub the flesh with the hand; to rub wood with sandpaper.
[ Webster]

It shall be expedient, after that body is cleaned, to rub the body with a coarse linen cloth. Sir T. Elyot.
[ Webster]

2. To move over the surface of (a body) with pressure and friction; to graze; to chafe; as, the boat rubs the ground.
[ Webster]

3. To cause (a body) to move with pressure and friction along a surface; as, to rub the hand over the body.
[ Webster]

Two bones rubbed hard against one another. Arbuthnot.
[ Webster]

4. To spread a substance thinly over; to smear.
[ Webster]

The smoothed plank, . . .
New rubbed with balm. Milton.
[ Webster]

5. To scour; to burnish; to polish; to brighten; to cleanse; -- often with up or over; as, to rub up silver.
[ Webster]

The whole business of our redemption is to rub over the defaced copy of the creation. South.
[ Webster]

6. To hinder; to cross; to thwart. [R.]
[ Webster]

'T is the duke's pleasure,
Whose disposition, all the world well knows,
Will not be rubbed nor stopped. Shak.
[ Webster]

Coloq. To rub down . (a) To clean by rubbing; to comb or curry; as, to down a horse. (b) To reduce or remove by rubbing; as, to rub down the rough points. -- Coloq. To rub off , to clean anything by rubbing; to separate by friction; as, to rub off rust. -- Coloq. To rub out , to remove or separate by friction; to erase; to obliterate; as, to rub out a mark or letter; to rub out a stain. -- Coloq. To rub up . (a) To burnish; to polish; to clean. (b) To excite; to awaken; to rouse to action; as, to rub up the memory.
[ Webster]

Rub, v. i. 1. To move along the surface of a body with pressure; to grate; as, a wheel rubs against the gatepost.
[ Webster]

2. To fret; to chafe; as, to rub upon a sore.
[ Webster]

3. To move or pass with difficulty; as, to rub through woods, as huntsmen; to rub through the world.
[ Webster]

Coloq. To rub along or Coloq. on , to go on with difficulty; as, they manage, with strict economy, to rub along. [Colloq.]
[ Webster]

Rub, n. [Cf. W. rhwb. See Rub, v,t,] 1. The act of rubbing; friction.
[ Webster]

2. That which rubs; that which tends to hinder or obstruct motion or progress; hindrance; obstruction, an impediment; especially, a difficulty or obstruction hard to overcome; a pinch.
[ Webster]

Every rub is smoothed on our way. Shak.
[ Webster]

To sleep, perchance to dream; ay, there's the rub. Shak.
[ Webster]

Upon this rub, the English ambassadors thought fit to demur. Hayward.
[ Webster]

One knows not, certainly, what other rubs might have been ordained for us by a wise Providence. W. Besant.
[ Webster]

3. Inequality of surface, as of the ground in the game of bowls; unevenness. Shak.
[ Webster]

4. Something grating to the feelings; sarcasm; joke; as, a hard rub.
[ Webster]

5. Imperfection; failing; fault. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.
[ Webster]

6. A chance. [Obs.]
[ Webster]

Flight shall leave no Greek a rub. Chapman.
[ Webster]

7. A stone, commonly flat, used to sharpen cutting tools; a whetstone; -- called also rubstone.
[ Webster]

Coloq. Rub iron , an iron guard on a wagon body, against which a wheel rubs when cramped too much. -- Coloq. Rub of the green (Golf), anything happening to a ball in motion, such as its being deflected or stopped by any agency outside the match, or by the fore caddie.
[ Webster + Webster Suppl.]

Ruba-dub (?), n. The sound of a drum when continuously beaten; hence, a clamorous, repeated sound; a clatter.
[ Webster]

The rubadub of the abolition presses. D. Webster.
[ Webster]

Rubaiyat (?), n. pl.; sing. Rubai (�). [Ar. rubā'iyāh quatrian, pl. of rubā'iy having four radicals, fr. rubā' four.] Quatrians; as, the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. Sometimes in pl. construed as sing., a poem in such stanzas.
[Webster Suppl.]

Prev Next

Concept Explore Home

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z