rove1

 
Pronunciation: /rəʊv/

verb

[no object, with adverbial of direction]
  • travel constantly without a fixed destination; wander: he spent most of the 1990s roving about the Caribbean
  • [with object] wander over or through (a place): children roving the streets
  • (usually as adjective roving) travel for one’s work, having no fixed base: he trained as a roving reporter
  • (of a person’s eyes) look in changing directions in order to see something thoroughly: the policeman’s eyes roved around the pub

noun

[in singular] chiefly North American
  • a journey, especially one with no specific destination; an act of wandering: a new exhibit will electrify campuses on its national rove

Origin:

late 15th century (originally a term in archery in the sense 'shoot at a casual mark of undetermined range'): perhaps from dialect rave 'to stray', probably of Scandinavian origin