Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Rove \Rove\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Roved}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Roving}.] [Cf. D. rooven to rob; akin to E. reave. See
   {Reave}, {Rob}.]
   1. To practice robbery on the seas; to wander about on the
      seas in piracy. [Obs.] --Hakluyt.

   2. Hence, to wander; to ramble; to rauge; to go, move, or
      pass without certain direction in any manner, by sailing,
      walking, riding, flying, or otherwise.

            For who has power to walk has power to rove.
                                                  --Arbuthnot.

   3. (Archery) To shoot at rovers; hence, to shoot at an angle
      of elevation, not at point-blank (rovers usually being
      beyond the point-blank range).

            Fair Venus' son, that with thy cruel dart At that
            good knight so cunningly didst rove.  --Spenser.

   Syn: To wander; roam; range; ramble stroll.

Roving \Rov"ing\, n.
   1. The operatin of forming the rove, or slightly twisted
      sliver or roll of wool or cotton, by means of a machine
      for the purpose, called a roving frame, or roving machine.

   2. A roll or sliver of wool or cotton drawn out and slightly
      twisted; a rove. See 2d {Rove}, 2.

   {Roving frame}, {Roving machine}, a machine for drawing and
      twisting roves and twisting roves and winding them on
      bobbin for the spinning machine.

Roving \Rov"ing\, n.
   The act of one who roves or wanders.

Source : WordNet®

roving
     adj : (of groups of people) tending to travel and change
           settlements frequently; "a restless mobile society";
           "the nomadic habits of the Bedouins"; "believed the
           profession of a peregrine typist would have a happy
           future"; "wandering tribes" [syn: {mobile}, {nomadic},
           {peregrine}, {wandering}]
     n : travelling about without any clear destination; "she
         followed him in his wanderings and looked after him"
         [syn: {wandering}, {vagabondage}]