row
row
Row (noun) means a straight line of people or things placed next to each other. Example: “We sat in the front row of the theater.”
noun
1
A straight line of people or things placed next to each other.
"We sat in the front row of the theater."
"The seedlings were planted in neat rows."
"A long row of bicycles stood outside the school gates."
2
(British informal) A noisy argument or quarrel.
"The neighbors had a huge row over the fence."
"They made up after a row about money."
"I could hear a terrible row going on upstairs, with doors slamming."
verb
1
To move a boat through water using oars.
"They rowed across the lake at sunrise."
"My brother rows for his university club every Saturday morning."
"We took turns to row the little boat back to the shore."
How to use row
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA straight line of things, the act of paddling a boat with oars, or (in British English) a loud argument.
UK vs US
"Row" meaning an argument is mostly British; Americans would say "fight" or "argument" instead.
Common pairings
in a row
row a boat
have a row
front row
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Word forms
- Plural
- rows
- Third person singular
- rows
- Past tense
- rowed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
We sat in the front _____ of the theater.
Etymology
The rowing sense is from Old English rōwan; the "line" and "argument" senses developed separately in Middle English.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for row
See all rhymes for row →Frequently asked questions
What does “row” mean?
The word “row” means a straight line of people or things placed next to each other. In plain terms, a straight line of things, the act of paddling a boat with oars, or (in British English) a loud argument.
How do you pronounce “row”?
“Row” is pronounced row (/ɹaʊ/ in IPA).
How do you use “row” in a sentence?
Here is “row” used in a sentence: “We sat in the front row of the theater.”
What part of speech is “row”?
Depending on how it is used, “row” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “row” come from?
The word “row” comes from Old English. The rowing sense is from Old English rōwan; the "line" and "argument" senses developed separately in Middle English.
Is “row” a common word?
“Row” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “row” have?
“Row” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a straight line of people or things placed next to each other.
What is the difference between a row and a column?
A row runs horizontally — a line of things placed side by side across a page or space. A column runs vertically, stacked from top to bottom. In tables and spreadsheets the two work together: rows go across while columns go down, and each cell sits where a row and a column meet.
What is an example of a row?
Seats in a cinema are arranged in rows, as are plants in a garden bed, houses along a street, or figures lined up in a spreadsheet. Anything set out in a single straight line, with each item next to the last, forms a row.
Does 'row' always mean a straight line?
No. 'Row' is spelled the same as two other words. One means to propel a boat with oars, and like the line meaning it rhymes with 'go'. A third 'row', which rhymes with 'cow', means a noisy argument or quarrel. Context and pronunciation are what tell them apart.
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