What does hoving mean?
Hoving is the present participle of the literary verb “hove.” It means to hover, linger, or move slowly and uncertainly, often while staying near a particular place, person, or object. The word can suggest an uneasy or indefinite movement, as in a person hoving nearby or a craft hoving over a landscape, and it may also describe something gradually coming into view. In contemporary English, it is most often encountered in poetic, literary, or deliberately old-fashioned writing; ordinary speakers are more likely to use “hover” or “linger.” Although related in sound and meaning to “hover,” “hoving” has a more formal and atmospheric character, suggesting motion that does not come fully to rest. It is commonly used in the expression “hove around,” meaning to stay or move about without a clear purpose.
verbHoving is the present participle of hove, meaning to hover or move slowly and uncertainly, especially while remaining close to a place or person.
- To hover or move slowly and uncertainly; to linger.
"The drone was hoving over the garden, waiting for a safe landing."
"A flock of birds was hoving above the field as the sun began to set."
"She could see the report hoving into view on the distant horizon."
A word that seems to hover in the air, “hoving” preserves an old-fashioned sense of moving without firmly settling in one place.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hoving come from?
The word comes from the English verb “hove,” a literary and somewhat archaic verb meaning “to hover” or “to move about.” The modern form developed from Middle English usage associated with hovering, floating, or moving slowly. Its present-participle form “hoving” has survived mainly in literary and poetic contexts, while the simpler and more widely used “hover” dominates in modern everyday English.
How hoving is actually used
Usually literary, archaic, or deliberately poetic. It is most natural in the phrase “hove around” or “hove over”; in everyday modern English, “hover” is usually preferred.