roup
Definition
Noun (Veterinary Medicine):
- A disease of poultry: "roup" refers to a contagious respiratory disease affecting the mucous membranes of the throat and air passages in birds, particularly chickens, often characterized by swelling and lesions.
- Example: The farmer noticed several hens showing signs of roup, including labored breathing and swollen heads.
Verb (Scottish English, now rare):
- To sell by auction: "roup" means to offer goods for sale at a public auction, typically used in historical or regional contexts.
- Example: The estate was rouped off to the highest bidder.
Usage Examples
Noun:
- The veterinarian diagnosed the flock with roup and advised immediate quarantine. (A poultry disease affecting the throat.)
- Roup can spread quickly among chickens if not treated promptly. (A contagious illness in birds.)
Verb:
- They decided to roup the old furniture at the market. (To auction off items.)
- The farmer rouped his surplus grain to local merchants. (Sold via auction.)
Advanced Usage
"to have the roup": an older expression meaning to suffer from the disease.
- The hen had the roup and was isolated from the rest of the coop. (The bird was infected.)
"roup and rindle": a Scottish phrase referring to an auction and its proceeds.
- The roup and rindle were divided among the heirs. (The auction and its profits.)
Variants and Related Words
Roupy (adj): affected with or resembling roup.
- The roupy chickens were kept in a separate pen. (Birds showing symptoms of the disease.)
Roupiness (n): the state of being affected by roup.
- The roupiness of the flock required veterinary intervention. (The condition of having the disease.)
Synonyms
- For the noun (disease): avian diphtheria, fowl pox (though these are distinct, they share similarities).
- For the verb (auction): sell at auction, auction off, vendue (archaic).
Phrasal Verbs
- Roup off: to sell something by auction, often quickly or in bulk.
- They rouped off the entire collection of antiques. (Sold the collection at auction.)
Related Idioms
"Sell at roup": an older idiom meaning to dispose of goods through public sale.
- The family sold the farm at roup after the harvest. (They auctioned it publicly.)
"Roup and ruin": a Scottish expression indicating a sale that leads to loss or dispersal.
- The estate went to roup and ruin after the owner's death. (The property was auctioned and fell into disrepair.)