What does hove mean?
Hove is a chiefly British literary and nautical verb meaning to remain in place or move slowly in a particular direction. It is especially associated with ships, as in a vessel that “hoves alongside” another ship or hovers near a quay. The word can also describe a person who stays in one place or, in older usage, a bird rising or hovering into the air. Today, hove sounds formal and unusual, so speakers usually use alternatives such as hover, float, drift, wait, or rise. Its distinctive nautical character makes it useful in descriptions of ships, harbours, and maritime procedures. Although its meaning overlaps with several more familiar words, hove can suggest a slow, controlled movement or a prolonged period of waiting, especially at sea.
verbTo remain in a particular place or move slowly in a specified direction, especially in relation to a ship. In older literary usage, it can also refer to a bird rising into the air or a person staying in one place.
- To remain in the same place or move slowly in a particular direction, especially of a ship.
- To stay or wait in one place.
- To rise or hover, especially of a bird.
"The vessel hove alongside the quay as the pilot waited for the tide to turn."
"The ship hove alongside the harbour wall for several hours."
"The heron hoved above the reeds before settling on a branch."
A ship that simply waits at sea can be said to hove, making this a distinctly old-fashioned term for lingering on course.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hove come from?
Hove is a chiefly British and maritime word that survives in literary usage. It is related to heave, and its nautical sense developed around the idea of a ship remaining or moving with difficulty against the action of wind and water. The word also has older uses connected with staying in place or rising into the air. Its forms are irregular: the third-person singular is hoves, the past tense and past participle are hoved, and the present participle is hoving.
Related word forms
How hove is actually used
The word is literary or nautical in modern English and is much more common in British usage than in American English. In nautical contexts, it can describe a vessel remaining in place, moving slowly, or being held at a particular distance.
Easily confused with hove
Hove is a chiefly nautical verb meaning to remain or move slowly in a particular direction, whereas have is a general-purpose verb meaning to possess or experience something.