noun
- an administrative officer of a town or district.
- British. an overseer or superintendent of workers, tenants, or an estate.
- British. (formerly) a person of high rank representing the crown.
- Canadian. the presiding officer of a village or town council.
verb (used with object), rove or reeved, ro·ven or reeved, reev·ing. Nautical.
- to pass (a rope or the like) through a hole, ring, or the like.
- to fasten by placing through or around something.
- to pass a rope through (the swallow of a block).
noun
- the female of the ruff, Philomachus pugnax.
noun
- English history the local representative of the king in a shire (under the ealdorman) until the early 11th centuryCompare sheriff
- (in medieval England) a manorial steward who supervised the daily affairs of the manor: often a villein elected by his fellows
- canadian government (in certain provinces) a president of a local council, esp in a rural area
- (formerly) a minor local official in any of several parts of England and the US
verb reeves, reeving, reeved or rove (rəʊv) (tr) nautical
- to pass (a rope or cable) through an eye or other narrow opening
- to fasten by passing through or around something
noun
- the female of the ruff (the bird)
“steward,” Old English gerefa “king’s officer,” of unknown origin and with no known cognates. Not connected to German Graf (see margrave). An Anglo-Saxon official of high rank, having local jurisdiction under a king. Cf. sheriff.