rowel noun & verb. ['raʊ(ǝ)l] ME.
[Old French roel(e) from late Latin rotella dim. of Latin rota wheel.]
A. noun.
1. A small wheel. ME-L16.

2. A small spiked revolving wheel or disc at the end of a spur. LME.
b. The head or top of this. M19.

3. Ecclesiastical. A wheel-shaped chandelier. LME-M16.

4. The kneecap. LME-L16.
b. A small knob on a scourge or a horse's bit. M16-E17.

5. A circular piece of material (esp. leather) inserted between the flesh and skin of an animal, esp. a horse, supposedly to discharge an exudate. Now Hist. L16.
b. verb. Infl. -ll-, *-l-.
1. a. verb intrans. & trans. (with it). Use rowels to spur a horse. rare. L16.
b. verb trans. Spur (a horse) with a rowel. M19.
c. verb trans. Prick with rowels. Chiefly fig. L19.

2. verb trans. Insert a rowel (sense 5) in (an animal). Now Hist. L16.

■ rowelled adjective (rare) (a) that has been rowelled; (b) provided with a rowel or rowels: L16.

[TahlilGaran] English Dictionary ▲