rove

¹ American  

[rohv] / roʊv /

verb (used without object)

roved, roving

1. to wander about without definite destination; move hither and thither at random, especially over a wide area.

   Synonyms:

   stray, amble, stroll

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verb (used with object)

roved, roving

1. to wander over or through; traverse.

   to rove the woods.

noun

1. an act or instance of roving.

rove ² American  

[rohv] / roʊv /

verb

1. a simple past tense and past participle of reeve.

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rove ³ American  

[rohv] / roʊv /

verb (used with object)

roved, roving

1. to form (slivers of wool, cotton, etc.) into slightly twisted strands in a preparatory process of spinning.

2. to draw fibers or the like through an eye or other small opening.

3. to attenuate, compress, and twist slightly in carding.

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noun

1. British. roving.

rove ¹ British  

/ rəʊv /

verb

1. to wander about (a place) with no fixed direction; roam

2. (intr) (of the eyes) to look around; wander

3. to show a widespread amorous interest in the opposite sex

4. (intr) Australian rules football to play as a rover

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noun

1. the act of roving

rove ² British  

/ rəʊv /

verb

1. (tr) to pull out and twist (fibres of wool, cotton, etc) lightly, as before spinning or in carding

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noun

1. wool, cotton, etc, thus prepared

rove ³ British  

/ rəʊv /

noun

1. a metal plate through which a rivet is passed and then clenched over

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rove ⁴ British  

/ rəʊv /

verb

1. a past tense and past participle of reeve 2

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Related Words

See roam.

Etymology

Origin of rove¹

First recorded in 1490–1500; originally, “to shoot at a random target”; perhaps from Scandinavian; compare Old Norse rāfa “to stray”; but compare also Old French raver “to roam”

Origin of rove³

First recorded in 1690–1700; of obscure origin

Explanation

To rove is to wander around, often aimlessly. You may like to rove at work or school, but chances are you’ve probably got somewhere you’re supposed to be. Roving can be a way of life. Someone who roves may not have a permanent home, and they may wander from town to town in search of food or work. Rove can also refer to other types of wandering. A roving reporter wanders the streets looking for people to interview. At a crowded party, your eyes might rove around the room as you look for someone you know — or someone you’d like to meet. And, as you fall asleep, your mind might rove over the events of the day.

Example Sentences

In a paper published in the journal “Cell,” they break down the remarkable ability of one species of rove beetle to live among the typically combative ants.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 10, 2026

I hired an electric violinist to rove around the bathhouse and play during the event.

From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2025

In the Mournes, Mr Fisher said rove beetles and other insects "support the skylarks and the meadow pipits that come from the lowlands to nest up in the uplands during this time of year".

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2025

In response, Metro says it transferred pairs of security guards from elsewhere to rove the H Line, which connects downtown to Burien, “for the foreseeable future,” spokesperson Al Sanders said.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 6, 2023

Never the flaming eye of Helios lights on those men at morning, when he climbs the sky of stars, nor in descending earthward out of heaven; ruinous night being rove over those wretches.

From "The Odyssey" by Homer