Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1720-1726, 1781-1830, 1931
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ROVE, v.1, n.1 Also roave. Sc. usages:
I. v. 1. To wander in one's thoughts or speech, to be delirious, to rave (Sc. 1782 J. Sinclair Ob. Sc. Dial. 93, 1825 Jam.; I.Sc., Cai., Ags. 1968). Ppl.adj. roving, delirious. Comb. roving fever, a delirium. Also in Eng. dial.Edb. 1720 A. Pennecuik Helicon 15:
I roave, all Sense is gone, I'll fly away.Sc. 1726 Session Papers, Memorial M. & A. Blair (3 Feb.) 2:
He roaved and spoke Nonsense.Edb. 1781 Session Papers, M'Arthur v. Williamson (20 April) 28:
She did not rove any that day, though the fever was then in a high degree upon her.Dmf. 1820 Blackwood's Mag. (June) 289:
The poor bewildered woman heeded him not — her brain was roving — but reason returned in a moment.Ayr. 1822 Galt Sir A. Wylie civ.:
My brother, has met wi' a severe birz and contusion, and he's in a roving fever.Ork. 1931 J. Leask Peculiar People 137:
Sheu waas rovan an' dadded 'ersel aboot.
2. Ppl.adj. rovin, of the weather: unsettled, stormy (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 229).
II. n. 1. A ramble or wandering (Sh., Per. 1968). In phr. upon the rove. Mainly dial. in Eng.Ayr. 1830 Galt Lawrie Todd viii. xii.:
He went upon the rove.
2. Mental wandering, delirium.Sc. 1789 J. Brown Select Remains (1807) 274:
In his roves he was often about that place.
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"Rove v.1, n.1". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 17 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/rove_v1_n1>
