# rove

/ˈɹoʊv/ (US) · /ɹˈəʊv/ (UK) · CEFR C2 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/rove
Updated: 2026-05-20

## Definition

to travel around without a specific plan or purpose. It is an old-fashioned word for wandering or moving freely.

For teachers: to travel or move about without a fixed course or destination. Archaic in modern usage, though it persists in specific literary or historical contexts.

## Examples

- The children rove through the fields looking for butterflies.
- The old man spent his evenings roving the village streets, chatting with anyone who would listen.
- The poet describes a life spent roving the deserts of the mind, seeking beauty in the silence of the unknown.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.