roan1
/rəʊn
/adjective
Denoting an animal, especially a horse or cow, having a coat of a main colour thickly interspersed with hairs of another colour, typically bay, chestnut, or black mixed with white.Gualtero rounded the corner leading the horses - his palomino stallion, Sullivan's buckskin mare, and a third horse, a roan mare with a creamy blond mane and tail....
- He reined his roan mare and fell behind his master.
- My mare now turned her head and nibbled at the neck of the roan horse Sidroc rode.
noun [usually with modifier]
A roan animal: a blue roan...
- Chuckling at the raised eyebrow from the pretty girl sitting astride the chestnut roan, he replied to her unasked question.
- Sullivan took his buckskin mare's reins and ran a fond hand over the animal's forehead as he eyed the roan.
- In the last couple of days, has anyone come into town riding a roan with a Collins & Morrison saddle?
Origin
Mid 16th century: from Old French, of unknown origin.
Rhymes
roan2
/rəʊn/noun [mass noun]
Soft flexible leather made from sheepskin, used in bookbinding as a substitute for morocco: [as modifier]: books in contemporary half roan gilt
Origin
Early 19th century: perhaps from Roan, the old name of the French town of Rouen.