rove
1 of 5verb (1)
ˈrōv 
roved; roving
intransitive verb
: to move aimlessly : roam
transitive verb
: to wander through or over
rove
2 of 5noun (1)
: an act or instance of wandering
rove
3 of 5past tense and past participle of reeve
rove
4 of 5verb (2)
roved; roving
transitive verb
: to join (textile fibers) with a slight twist and draw out into roving
rove
5 of 5noun
: roving
Synonyms
Verb (1)
- bat
- cruise
- drift
- float
- gad (about)
- gallivant
- galavant
- kick around
- knock (about)
- maunder
- meander
- mooch
- ramble
- range
- roam
- traipse
- wander
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Word History
Etymology
Verb (1)
earlier, to shoot at random, wander, of unknown origin
Verb (2)
origin unknown
First Known Use
Verb (1)
15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense
Noun (1)
circa 1550, in the meaning defined above
Verb (2)
1782, in the meaning defined above
Noun
1789, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing rove
Kids Definition
rove
verb
ˈrōv
roved; roving
: to wander without definite plan or direction
rovers
noun
1
as in nomads
a person who roams about without a fixed route or destination ever since he developed a strong case of wanderlust in college, he's been a rover Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- nomads
- wanderers
- gypsies
- drifters
- travelers
- travellers
- roamers
- vagabonds
- wayfarers
- ramblers
- birds of passage
- maunderers
- strollers
- gadabouts
- knockabouts
- passengers
- hobos
- sojourners
- stragglers
- lingerers
- hoboes
- migrants
- laggards
- loiterers
- amblers
- bums
- tramps
- sightseers
- transients
- saunterers
- vagrants
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- inhabitants
- settlers
- residents
- dwellers
- denizens
- homebodies
- habitants
2
as in pirates
someone who engages in robbery of ships at sea a story of the days when sea rovers plied the Caribbean Synonyms & Similar Words
- pirates
- freebooters
- buccaneers
- raiders
- privateers
- marauders
- corsairs
- plunderers
- robbers
- looters
- pillagers
- despoilers