1201
Rose Parade, the
completely (something bad); ERADICATE: This disease is the
scourge of Africa, and scientists doubt if it can ever be alto-
gether rooted out. | a promise to root out corrupt officials →
see also UPROOT 2 infml to find by searching: I'll try and root
out something suitable for you to wear.
'root beer n [U] (especially in the US) a sweet gassy non-
alcoholic drink made from the roots of various plants
'root bound adj AmE for POTBOUND
'root ca,nal n medical treatment in which a DENTIST removes
a diseased area in the root of a tooth
'root ,cellar n AmE an underground room, usually away from
the house, used for keeping vegetables such as potatoes and
CARROTS
'root crop also 'root ,vegetable n a vegetable grown for its
roots, such as potatoes or CARROTS
root-ed /'ru:tɪd/ adj 1 [F(to)] fixed as if by roots: He stood
rooted to the spot in terror/fascination. 2 (of an idea,
principle etc) firmly fixed and unchangeable: (deep-)rooted
prejudices 3 [F+in] having as its origin or cause: an economic
policy that is rooted in Marxist theory
root-less /'ru:tləs/ adj having no home or sense of belong-
ing anywhere —ness n [U]
roots /ru:ts/ n [P] 1 (one's connection with and feeling of
belonging to) a place, especially the place in which one was
born and brought up: Her roots are in Scotland where she
was born. | We've been here a year now, and we're beginning
to put down (new) roots. (=make new friends, join in local
activities etc) → see also GRASS ROOTS 2 (one's connection
with and feeling of belonging to) a family: She's searching
for her roots by tracing her family tree.
Roots (1976) a novel by the US writer Alex Haley (1921-92)
which was also made into a television programme. It tells
the story of several GENERATIONS of an African-American
family, and it is partly based on stories told in Haley's own
family. The story starts with Kunta Kinte, a man from West
Africa who is caught and taken to the US as a SLAVE, and
then describes what happens to him there and to his children
and grandchildren until the time of the CIVIL WAR. The book
and television programme encouraged many African-
Americans to try to find out more about their own family
origins.
rope¹ /rəup/ n 1 [C;U] (a piece of) strong thick cord made by
twisting together threads of cotton, HEMP etc: They tied their
prisoner up with ropes/with a piece of rope. | to coil up a rope
→ compare STRING 2 [C+of] a fat twisted string, especially of
the stated jewels: a rope of pearls 3 [the S] hanging as a
punishment 4 give someone enough rope to hang
himself/herself to give a bad or foolish person freedom of
action in the hope that they will cause their own ruin or
failure in the end 5 give someone (plenty of) rope to allow
someone (plenty of) freedom to act → see also ROPES,
TIGHTROPE, JUMP ROPE, TIGHTROPE, jump rope (JUMP),
money for old rope (MONEY)
rope² v [T] 1 [+obj+adv/prep] to tie with a rope: He roped his
horse to a nearby tree. | Make sure you're properly roped
together before you begin to climb. 2 especially AmE to catch (an
animal) with a rope; LASSO
rope sbdy. ⇔ in phr v [T] infml to persuade or force (espe-
cially someone who is unwilling) to help in one's plans or
join an activity: I've been roped in to help sell the tickets.
rope sthg. ⇔ off phr v [T] to separate or enclose (an area)
with ropes: They've roped off one end of the room.
rope up phr v [I] (of two or more mountain climbers) to get
fastened together with the same rope: We'd better rope up for
this difficult bit.
rope ,ladder n a ladder made of two long ropes connected
by cross pieces of wood, rope, or metal
opes /rəups/ n [the P] 1 the rope fence that surrounds a
sports ring, especially a BOXING ring 2 infml the rules, cus-
toms, and ways of operating in some place or activity: I've
been to China before so I know the ropes; can I help you? |
Shirley's only joined the firm today, so will you show her the
ropes?
op-y, ropey /'rəupi/ adj BrE infml in bad condition or of bad
quality: We stayed in a really ropy hotel. | I'm feeling a bit
ropy (=not very well) this morning. —iness n [U]
Roque-fort /'rɒkfɔ:r||'rɑ:kfərt/ n [C;U] a strong-tasting
French cheese with blue lines in it, made from sheep's milk
Ror-schach test /'rɔ:rʃæk test||'rɔ:rʃɑ:k-/^n a method of
finding out what someone's character is like by showing
them various irregular spots of ink, and asking them to say
what these spots look like or make them think of
ro-sa-ry /'rəuzəri/ n 1 [C] a string of BEADS (=small decora-
tive balls) used especially by Roman Catholics for counting
prayers 2 [the] (often cap.) a Roman Catholic religious practice
that consists of repeating the set of prayers that are counted
in this way
rose¹ /rəuz/ past tense of RISE
rose² n 1 [C] (the usually red, pink, white, or yellow sweet-
smelling flower of) any of various wild or cultivated bushes
with strong prickly stems. In Britain, a rose is thought of as a
typically English flower: He sent her a dozen red roses on their
anniversary. | a rosebed (=where roses grow) | a rose bush |
rose petals → see picture at FLOWER 2 [U] a pale to dark
pink colour 3 [C] a circular piece of metal with holes in it
that is fitted to the end of a pipe or WATERING CAN for
watering gardens 4 a rose by any other name would smell
as sweet quote a phrase from Shakespeare's play Romeo and
Juliet. People use the phrase when saying that the nature of a
thing is important, not what it is called. 5 a rose is a rose is
a rose quote a slightly changed phrase from a poem by
Gertrude Stein, often changed further and used when some-
one is saying that there can only be one kind of a particular
thing: I don't care whether he's unhappy at home - a bully is a
bully is a bully, and he shouldn't be allowed to make others
miserable! 6 be not all roses infml (of a job, situation etc) to
include some unpleasant things: A lot of people envy the
royal family, but their life isn't all roses, you know. 7 come
up roses [usually in progressive forms] to happen or develop in
the best possible way → see also BED OF ROSES, WARS OF THE
ROSES 8 come up smelling of roses BrE || come out
smelling like roses AmE to get an advantage from a situation,
when you ought to be blamed, criticized, or harmed by it:
These tax cuts do nothing to help the poor, and the only people
who come out smelling like roses are the very wealthy. | Even
when Barton disobeyed orders, she always came up smelling of
roses, with perhaps a mild reprimand, but also praise for
showing initiative.
rose³ adj (usually in comb.) (of a colour) pale to dark pink: rose
pink
ro-sé /'rəuzeɪ||rəu'zeɪ/ n [U] a light pink wine
Rose, Charlie (1942-) a US television INTERVIEWER. He is
known for his daily programme on PBS called Charlie Rose,
on which he INTERVIEWS a wide variety of people, including
politicians, musicians, filmmakers, and writers.
Rose-anne /rəu'zæn:/ → see BARR, ROSEANNE
ro-se-ate /'rəuziɪt/ adj lit pink: the roseate hues of the evening
sky
'Rose ,Bowl, the 1 an AMERICAN FOOTBALL game held in
January every year in Pasadena, California between two of
the best college football teams in the US 2 the STADIUM
where this game is played. The Rose Bowl is also used for
other AMERICAN FOOTBALL games, as well as other sports
games, such as soccer.
rose-bud /'rəuzbʌd/ n the young tightly rolled-up flower
(BUD) of a rose before it opens: She's as pretty as a rosebud.
'rose-,coloured also 'rose-,tinted adj look at/see/view
the world through rose-coloured spectacles/glasses usu-
ally derog to see the world, life etc, as better and more pleasant
than they really are
'rose hip n the red fruit of some kinds of rose bush, used in
medicines and juices
rose-ma-ry /'rəuzməri||-meri/ n [U] a low bush whose
sweet-smelling leaves are used in cooking
,Rosemary's 'Baby (1968) a frightening US film, based on
the book by Ira Levin, and made by Roman POLANSKI, about a
woman who believes that the Devil is the father of the
unborn baby growing inside her body
'Rose Pa,rade, the a PARADE held every year in Pasadena,
California, on January 1st with many large vehicles covered
with flowers, marching bands, and horse riders. The parade
is shown on television all over the US.