roa

n. [ OE. rroche; cf. AS. reohha, D. rog, roch, G. roche, LG. ruche, Dan. rokke ray, Sw. rocka, and E. ray a fish. ] 1. (Zool.) (a) A European fresh-water fish of the Carp family (Leuciscus rutilus). It is silver-white, with a greenish back. (b) An American chub (Semotilus bullaris); the fallfish. (c) The redfin, or shiner. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Naut.) A convex curve or arch cut in the edge of a sail to prevent chafing, or to secure a better fit. [ 1913 Webster ]

As sound as a roach [ roach perhaps being a corruption of a F. roche a rock ], perfectly sound. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To cause to arch. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To cut off, as a horse's mane, so that the part left shall stand upright. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having a back like that of roach; -- said of a horse whose back a convex instead of a concave curve. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. rād a riding, that on which one rides or travels, a road, fr. rīdan to ride. See Ride, and cf. Raid. ] 1. A journey, or stage of a journey. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

With easy roads he came to Leicester. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An inroad; an invasion; a raid. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A place where one may ride; an open way or public passage for vehicles, persons, and animals; a track for travel, forming a means of communication between one city, town, or place, and another. [ 1913 Webster ]

The most villainous house in all the London road. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The word is generally applied to highways, and as a generic term it includes highway, street, and lane. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. [ Possibly akin to Icel. reiði the rigging of a ship, E. ready. ] A place where ships may ride at anchor at some distance from the shore; a roadstead; -- often in the plural; as, Hampton Roads. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Now strike your saile, ye jolly mariners,
For we be come unto a quiet rode [ road ]. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

On the road, or
Uponthe road, traveling or passing over a road; coming or going; traveling; on the way. [ 1913 Webster ] My hat and wig will soon be here,
They are upon the road. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ] --
Road agent, a highwayman, especially on the stage routes of the unsettled western parts of the United States; -- a humorous euphemism. [ Western U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ] The highway robber -- road agent he is quaintly called. The century. [ 1913 Webster ] --
Road book, a guidebook in respect to roads and distances. --
road kill See roadkill in the vocabulary. --
Road metal, the broken, stone used in macadamizing roads. --
Road roller, a heavy roller, or combinations of rollers, for making earth, macadam, or concrete roads smooth and compact. -- often driven by steam. --
Road runner (Zool.), the chaparral cock. --
Road steamer, a locomotive engine adapted to running on common roads. --
To go on the road, to engage in the business of a commercial traveler. [ Colloq. ] --
To take the road, to begin or engage in traveling. --
To take to the road, to engage in robbery upon the highways. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Way; highway; street; lane; pathway; route; passage; course. See Way. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. In railroads, the bed or foundation on which the superstructure (ties, rails, etc.) rests; in common roads, the whole material laid in place and ready for travel. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. sing. & pl. The body of an animal killed by a vehicle on a road; as, it is illegal in most places for a restaurant to serve roadkill as food for people. Also used metaphorically; as, “roadkill on the information superhighway” (a person or corporation defeated by others more expert at using the internet). [ PJC ]

a. Destitute of roads. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who makes roads. [ 1913 Webster ]