row

1 of 6

verb (1)

ˈrō 

rowed; rowing; rows

intransitive verb

1

: to propel a boat by means of oars

2

: to move by or as if by the propulsion of oars

transitive verb

1

a

: to propel with or as if with oars

b(1)

: to participate in (a rowing match)

(2)

: to compete against in rowing

(3)

: to pull (an oar) in a crew

2

: to transport in an oar-propelled boat

rower

ˈrō-ər 

noun

row

2 of 6

noun (1)

ˈrō 

: an act or instance of rowing

row

3 of 6

noun (2)

ˈrō 

1

: a number of objects arranged in a usually straight line

a row of bottles

also : the line along which such objects are arranged

planted the corn in parallel rows

2

a

: way, street

b

: a street or area dominated by a specific kind of enterprise or occupancy

doctors' row

3

: twelve-tone row

4

a

: a continuous strip usually running horizontally or parallel to a baseline

b

: a horizontal arrangement of items

row

4 of 6

verb (2)

ˈrō 

rowed; rowing; rows

transitive verb

: to form into rows

row

5 of 6

noun (3)

ˈrau̇ 

: a noisy disturbance or quarrel

row

6 of 6

verb (3)

ˈrau̇ 

rowed; rowing; rows

intransitive verb

: to engage in a row : have a quarrel

Phrases

in a row

: one after another : successively

Synonyms

Verb (1)

• oar
• paddle
• scull

Noun (2)

• bank
• rank

Noun (3)

• affray [chiefly British]
• brawl
• broil
• donnybrook
• fracas
• fray
• free-for-all
• melee
• mêlée
• rough-and-tumble
• ruckus
• ruction

Verb (3)

• altercate
• argue
• argufy
• bicker
• brabble
• brawl
• controvert
• dispute
• fall out
• fight
• hassle
• jar
• quarrel
• quibble
• scrap
• spat
• squabble
• tiff
• wrangle

Examples of row in a Sentence

Verb (1)

rowed around the lake

Noun (2)

stood in a row to have their picture taken

three rows of eight jelly beans equals 24 jelly beans

drive up Market Row and turn left

Noun (3)

a county fair that had a long history of bloody rows

the combination of drums and shouting contributed to the awful row

he had a row with his girlfriend yesterday, and now they aren't speaking

Verb (3)

the couple rows all the time, and yet they seem happy together

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Over the last decade my wife and I have tracked gorillas in the misty hills of Uganda, rowed mokotos in rivers teeming with hippos and crocodiles on the Okavango Delta, and camped on the otherworldly Etosha salt pan in Namibia. —Tanveer Badal, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Dec. 2024

Shared accountability is about breaking down functional silos and getting everyone rowing in the same direction. —Vince Molinaro, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024

Noun

The Pentagon, with a budget of $886 billion, just failed its 7th audit in a row. —Rachel Barber, USA TODAY, 3 Dec. 2024

The tune reaches that milestone on the streaming ranking, as it’s now lived on the list for 52 turns–though not all in a row. —Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English, from Old English rōwan; akin to Middle High German rüejen to row, Latin remus oar

Noun (2)

Middle English rawe; akin to Old English rǣw row, Old High German rīga line, and perhaps to Sanskrit rikhati he scratches

Noun (3)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Verb (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun (1)

1767, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

1582, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1746, in the meaning defined above

Verb (3)

1797, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing row

• a tough/hard row to hoe
• death row
• get one's ducks in a row
• have one's ducks in a row
• in a row
• inter-row
• one's ducks in a row
• on skid row
• put one's ducks in a row
• row house
• row upon row
• skid row
• tone row
• twelve-tone row

Kids Definition

row

1 of 5 verb

ˈrō 

1

: to move a boat by means of oars

2

: to travel or carry in a rowboat

3

: to pull an oar in a crew

rower

ˈrō(-ə)r 

noun

row

2 of 5 noun

: an act or instance of rowing

row

3 of 5 noun

1

a

: a series of persons or things arranged in a usually straight line

especially : a horizontal arrangement of items

b

: the line along which such objects are arranged

planted the corn in parallel rows

2

: way entry 1 sense 1a, street

row

4 of 5 noun

ˈrau̇

: a noisy disturbance or quarrel

row

5 of 5 verb

ˈrau̇ 

: to have a row : fight, quarrel

Etymology

Verb

Old English rōwan "to propel a boat with oars"

Noun

Middle English rawe "a number of objects arranged in a line"

Noun

origin unknown