Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
row 2 [roh] EXAMPLES|WORD ORIGIN verb (used without object) to propel a vessel by the leverage of an oar or the like. verb (used with object) to propel (a vessel) by the leverage of an oar or the like. to convey in a boat that is rowed. to convey or propel (something) in a manner suggestive of rowing. to require, use, or be equipped with (a number of oars): The captain’s barge rowed twenty oars. to use (oarsmen) for rowing. to perform or participate in by rowing: to row a race. to row against in a race: Oxford rows Cambridge. SEE MORESEE LESS noun an act, instance, or period of rowing: It was a long row to the far bank. an excursion in a rowboat: to go for a row. Liberaldictionary.com
Origin of row 2 before 950; Middle English rowen, Old English rōwan; cognate with Old Norse rōa; akin to Latin rēmus oar. Cf. rudder Related formsrow·a·ble, adjectiverow·er, nounun·der·row·er, noun Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019 Examples from the Web for rower Contemporary Examples of rower
“The air has come out of the tires,” the Canadian rower Iain Brambell said in 2008.
London Athletes Face Post-Olympic Blues
Tony Doukopil
August 14, 2012
He was greeted by Canadian rower Malcolm Howard, a member of the silver-medal winning men’s eight.
Prince Harry: I’m Too Old To Go Out Anymore. Really Your Highness?!
Tom Sykes
August 2, 2012
Historical Examples of rower
The third, who was in the bows, exchanged some words with the rower, who replied.
Robert Hichens
She opened her eyes, and now she could see the boat again and the rower.
Robert Smythe Hichens
I was upon the Styx, and in my rower I recognised the redoubtable Charon.
Mayne Reid
The rower, startled by the sudden shout, turned quickly round.
Talbot Baines Reed
I didnt know those Mexicans were so thrifty, the rower went on.
Lester Chadwick
British Dictionary definitions for rower row 1 noun an arrangement of persons or things in a linea row of chairs
- mainly Britisha street, esp a narrow one lined with identical houses
- (capital when part of a street name)Church Row
a line of seats, as in a cinema, theatre, etc maths a horizontal linear arrangement of numbers, quantities, or terms, esp in a determinant or matrix a horizontal rank of squares on a chessboard or draughtboard in a row in succession; one after the otherhe won two gold medals in a row a hard row to hoe a difficult task or assignment Word Origin for row Old English rāw, rǣw; related to Old High German rīga line, Lithuanian raiwe strip row 2 noun a noisy quarrel or dispute a noisy disturbance; commotionwe couldn’t hear the music for the row next door a reprimand give someone a row informal to scold someone; tell someone off verb (intr often foll by with) to quarrel noisily (tr) archaic to reprimand Word Origin for row C18: origin unknown row 3 verb to propel (a boat) by using oars (tr) to carry (people, goods, etc) in a rowing boat to be propelled by means of (oars or oarsmen) (intr) to take part in the racing of rowing boats as a sport, esp in eights, in which each member of the crew pulls one oarCompare scull (def. 6) (tr) to race against in a boat propelled by oarsOxford row Cambridge every year noun an act, instance, period, or distance of rowing an excursion in a rowing boat See also row over Derived Formsrower, nounrowing, nounWord Origin for row Old English rōwan; related to Middle Dutch roien, Middle High German rüejen, Old Norse rōa, Latin rēmus oar Collins English Dictionary – Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 Word Origin and History for rower row n.1
“line of people or things,” Old English ræw “a row, line; succession, hedge-row,” probably from Proto-Germanic *rai(h)waz (cf. Middle Dutch rie, Dutch rij “row;” Old High German rihan “to thread,” riga “line;” German Reihe “row, line, series;” Old Norse rega “string”), possibly from PIE root *rei- “to scratch, tear, cut” (cf. Sanskrit rikhati “scratches,” rekha “line”). Meaning “a number of houses in a line” is attested from mid-15c., originally chiefly Scottish and northern English. Phrase a hard row to hoe attested from 1823, American English.
row v.
“propel with oars,” Old English rowan “go by water, row” (class VII strong verb; past tense reow, past participle rowen), from Proto-Germanic *ro- (cf. Old Norse roa, Dutch roeien, West Frisian roeije, Middle High German rüejen), from PIE root *ere- (1) “to row” (cf. Sanskrit aritrah “oar;” Greek eressein “to row,” eretmon “oar,” trieres “trireme;” Latin remus “oar;” Lithuanian iriu “to row,” irklas “oar;” Old Irish rome “oar,” Old English roðor “rudder”).
row n.2
“noisy commotion,” 1746, Cambridge University slang, of uncertain origin, perhaps related to rousel “drinking bout” (c.1600), a shortened form of carousal. Klein suggests a back-formation from rouse (n.), mistaken as a plural (cf. pea from pease).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper Idioms and Phrases with rower row
see get one’s ducks in a row; kick up a fuss (row); skid row; tough row to hoe.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
