roan

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I got on his trail three times and couldn't catch him till we hit Eldara I thought your roan was the most durable horse on the range, Steve.

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Definitions (17)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (4)

  1. adjective Having a chestnut, bay, or sorrel coat thickly sprinkled with white or gray: a roan horse.
  2. noun The characteristic coloring of a roan horse.
  3. noun A roan horse or other animal.

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (8)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (2)

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet (3)

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Examples (50)

  • A rider astride a roan was starting up a dirt trail, the horse picking its way carefully. —  The Dangerous Hour - Muller, Marcia - Sharon McCone 23
  • Always care for the mount first--when a man's life, as well as the safety of his mission, depended on four subordinate legs more than on his own two Though he had little claim to a thoroughbred's points, the roan was as much a veteran of the forces as his groom, with all a veteran's ability to accept and enjoy small favors of the immediate present without speculating too much concerning the future. —  Ride Proud, Rebel!
  • He knew the roan, and Shawnee knew his job. —  Ride Proud, Rebel!
  • In the form of half-roan or bock, colored sheep presents a handsome appearance on the shelf, and in volumes or sets which are reasonably secure from frequent handling, one is sometimes justified in adopting it, as it is far less expensive than morocco. —  A Book for All Readers An Aid to the Collection, Use, and Preservation of Books and the Formation of Public and Private Libraries
  • She knew the big blue roan, and she had expected a fight. —  Prairie Flowers
 

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Etymologies (3)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Obsolete French, from Old French, from Old Spanish roano, probably of Germanic origin.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (2)

  1. Early modern English also roen; from Old French roan, roen, rouen, roan (cheval rouën, a roan horse), French rouan = Spanish ruano = Portuguese ruão = Italian roano, rovano, roan, prob. from Late Latin or Middle Latin *rufanus, reddish, from Latin rufus, red: see rufous.
  2. Origin obscůre.
 

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/roʊn/
by American Heritage

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