rove¹ / rōv/ • v. [intr.] travel constantly without a fixed destination; wander: a quarter of a million refugees roved around the country. ∎  [tr.] wander over or through (a place) in such a way: children roving the streets. ∎  [usu. as adj.] (roving) travel for one's work, having no fixed base: he trained as a roving reporter. ∎  (of eyes) look in changing directions in order to see something thoroughly: the policeman's eyes roved around the bar.• n. [in sing.] a journey, esp. one with no specific destination; an act of wandering: a new exhibit will electrify campuses on its national rove.rove² • past of reeve² .rove³ • n. a sliver of cotton, wool, or other fiber, drawn out and slightly twisted, esp. preparatory to spinning.• v. [tr.] form (slivers of wool, cotton, or other fiber) into roves.rove⁴ • n. a small metal plate or ring for a rivet to pass through and be clenched over, esp. in boatbuilding.

rove
A. †shoot with arrows at a selected mark for finding the range XV;

B. wander at random XVI. poss. form of (dial.) rave stray (XIV), prob. of Scand. orig. (cf. Icel. ráfa); sense B. perh. due to infl. by ROVER.