rover

noun19

1. •
   One who roves: a person or animal that travels around, especially over a wide area, without a fixed destination; a nomad, a roamer, a wanderer.
2. •
   A small manned or unmanned land vehicle for exploring extraterrestrial bodies.

   • September 19, 2005, Dave Lane, Mars Exploration Rover "OPPORTUNITY" NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity is currently traveling southward over a pavement of outcrop dubbed the "Erebus Highway." "Erebus Crater," the rover's next target, lies less than 100 meters (328 feet) south of its current position
3. •
   A remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROUV) or remotely operated vehicle (ROV).
4. •
   [before a noun] (UK) Especially in rover ticket: a type of pass, ticket, etc., that allows the holder unlimited travel on certain types of public transport for specified periods.
5. •
   A defensive back position whose coverage responsibilities are a combination of those of a cornerback, linebacker, and safety; also, a player playing this position.

   • I went to Coach Beamer and, because we had a lot of outside linebackers, ask him if I could play rover. — 2011
6. •
   A position that is one of three of a team's followers making up a ruck, who follow the ball around the ground; also, a player playing this position, who is generally fast and skilful at receiving the ball, and formerly of shorter stature.
7. •
   The tenth defensive player in slow-pitch softball.
8. •
   (historical) A forward whose responsibility was to feed the scrum and protect the scrum-half; the position was abandoned after a 1931 rule change.
9. •
   (old-fashioned) A restless, unsteady person who does not settle down; specifically (historical), a flirtatious, unfaithful man; a rake.

   • She is a rover and dislikes any sort of ties, physical or emotional.
10. •
    A pirate.

    • Diogenes vvill despise thee for all that, vvho being exposed and offered to sale by the rovers and theeves that tooke him, cried and proclaimed himselfe aloud: VVho vvill buy a master who? — 1603
11. •
    A pirate ship.

    • [W]hen coming Home again from the Banks of Nevvfoundland, vve vvere taken by an Algerine Rover, or Man of VVar; […] — 1720
12. •
    In full rover ball: a ball which has passed through all the hoops and would peg out if it hit the stake but is continued in play to help fellow players or obstruct opposing players; also, the player of such a ball.
13. •
    (historical) One who forms cotton, wool, or other fibres into rovings (“long, narrow bundles of fibres”), specifically using a roving frame in a mill.
14. •
    (historical) A machine used to make rovings, especially a roving frame.

    • The cotton being spread upon one of the cards, it was repeatedly combed with another till all the fibres were laid straight, when it was stripped off the card in a fleecy roll ready for the rover. — 1878
15. •
    (historical) Also rover ticket: a person who has a ticket for an event, performance, etc., but no assigned seat, and so has to find a place to sit or stand.
16. •
    (historical) Chiefly in the plural in the form to shoot at rovers: a target randomly selected by an archer, usually for practice; also, a fixed target for practising long-distance shooting.
17. •
    (UK, historical) In full rover patrol: an airborne reconnaissance patrol.
18. •
    (no longer used) A plunderer, a raider, a robber.

    • [H]ee began to rob and spoyle with a great band of rouers, and afterward he attempted to set vpon all men. — 1610
19. •
    (no longer used) A type of heavy arrow used for long-distance shooting.

    • All sorts, flights, rovers, and butt shafts. — 1600

noun3

1. •
   Someone connected with any number of teams called the Rovers, as a fan, player, coach etc.
2. •
   someone connected with Blackburn Rovers FC, as a fan, player, coach etc.
3. •
   A member of the senior section of the Boy Scout movement catering for men of age 18 upwards, now disbanded.