froe

See also: frö

English

Alternative forms

• frow

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fɹoʊ/
• Rhymes: -oʊ
• Homophones: 'fro, fro

Etymology 1

Abbreviation of obsolete frower, from froward (“turned away”), referring to the orientation of the blade, at right angles to the handle. From late 16th century.

Noun

froe (plural froes)

1. A cleaving tool for splitting cask staves and shingles from a block of wood.

   Synonym: throe

   • 1997, Charles Frazier, chapter 4, in Cold Mountain, London: Hodder and Stoughton, page 88:

     Patch shingles on the barn roof: do we have a maul and froe?

Derived terms

• froe club

Translations

cleaving tool for splitting cask staves and shingles from a block of wood

• Russian: колу́н (ru) m (kolún)

Etymology 2

See frow.

Noun

froe (plural froes)

1. (obsolete) A dirty woman; a slattern; a frow.
   • 1630, Michael Drayton, Nymphal IV, [from The Muses Elizium], 1793, The Works of the British Poets, Volume 3: Drayton, Carew & Suckling, page 618,

     Like to thoſe raging frantic froes / For Bacchus' feaſts prepared;

Anagrams

• Fero, Fore, Freo, OFer, fore, fore-, o-fer, ofer, orfe