row

¹

[roh]

noun

1. a number of persons or things arranged in a line, especially a straight line.

   a row of apple trees.

2. a line of persons or things so arranged.

   The petitioners waited in a row.

3. a line of adjacent seats facing the same way, as in a theater.

   seats in the third row of the balcony.

4. a street formed by two continuous lines of buildings.

5. Music.,  tone row.

6. Checkers.,  one of the horizontal lines of squares on a checkerboard; rank.

verb (used with object)

1. to put in a row (often followed byup ).

row

²

[roh]

verb (used without object)

1. to propel a vessel by the leverage of an oar or the like.

verb (used with object)

1. to propel (a vessel) by the leverage of an oar or the like.

2. to convey in a boat that is rowed.

3. to convey or propel (something) in a manner suggestive of rowing.

4. to require, use, or be equipped with (a number of oars).

   The captain's barge rowed twenty oars.

5. to use (oarsmen) for rowing.

6. to perform or participate in by rowing.

   to row a race.

7. to row against in a race.

   Oxford rows Cambridge.

noun

1. an act, instance, or period of rowing.

   It was a long row to the far bank.

2. an excursion in a rowboat.

   to go for a row.

row

³

[rou]

noun

1. a noisy dispute or quarrel; commotion.

   Synonyms: set-to, scrape, scrap, tiff, spat

2. noise or clamor.

verb (used without object)

1. to quarrel noisily.

verb (used with object)

1. Chiefly British.,  to upbraid severely; scold.

row

¹

/ rəʊ /

noun

1. an arrangement of persons or things in a line

   a row of chairs

2. 1. a street, esp a narrow one lined with identical houses

   2. ( capital when part of a street name )

      Church Row

3. a line of seats, as in a cinema, theatre, etc

4. maths a horizontal linear arrangement of numbers, quantities, or terms, esp in a determinant or matrix

5. a horizontal rank of squares on a chessboard or draughtboard

6. in succession; one after the other

   he won two gold medals in a row

7. a difficult task or assignment

row

²

/ rəʊ /

verb

1. to propel (a boat) by using oars

2. (tr) to carry (people, goods, etc) in a rowing boat

3. to be propelled by means of (oars or oarsmen)

4. (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 oar Compare scull

5. (tr) to race against in a boat propelled by oars

   Oxford row Cambridge every year

noun

1. an act, instance, period, or distance of rowing

2. an excursion in a rowing boat

row

³

/ raʊ /

noun

1. a noisy quarrel or dispute

2. a noisy disturbance; commotion

   we couldn't hear the music for the row next door

3. a reprimand

4. informal,  to scold someone; tell someone off

verb

1. to quarrel noisily

2. archaic,  (tr) to reprimand

Other Word Forms

• rower noun
• rowing noun
• rowable adjective
• underrower noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of row¹

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English reue, reuwe, rou(e) “row, line, rank (line of soldiers),” Old English rǣw, rāw; akin to Middle Dutch rije, Middle High German rīhe, German Reihe “row”

Origin of row²

First recorded before 950; Middle English rouen, rouwen, Old English rōwan “to go by water, sail, row”; cognate with Old Norse rōa; akin to Latin rēmus, Greek eretmón, both meaning “oar”; rudder

Origin of row³

First recorded in 1740–50; origin uncertain

Word History and Origins

Origin of row¹

Old English rāw, rǣw ; related to Old High German rīga line, Lithuanian raiwe strip

Origin of row²

Old English rōwan ; related to Middle Dutch roien , Middle High German rüejen , Old Norse rōa , Latin rēmus oar

Origin of row³

C18: origin unknown

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. hard / long row to hoe, a difficult task or set of circumstances to confront.

   At 32 and with two children, she found attending medical school a hard row to hoe.

see get one's ducks in a row; kick up a fuss (row); skid row; tough row to hoe.

Example Sentences

There was one win in 16 games between 2023-2024 and four losses in a row, the worst of them being that soulless defeat by Hungary at the Euros in Germany.

From BBC

Elsewhere in Zeitoun, rows of tents set up by displaced Palestinians have disappeared in little over a month.

From BBC

The Chargers are going to break through at some point, having lost seven in a row to Kansas City.

From Los Angeles Times

With its stage balcony, ceiling fans and rows of steel chairs with red cushions, the hall carried the vibe of an old single-screen theatre.

From BBC

“We need to all be rowing in the same direction. And especially when you’re dealing with a creative business like ours, that begins with being together in person.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• controversy 
• dispute 
• quarrel 
• squabble 
• trouble