Rood
A rood or rood cross, sometimes known as a triumphal cross, is a cross or crucifix, especially the large Crucifixion set above the entrance to the chancel of a medieval church. Alternatively, it is a large sculpture or painting of the crucifixion of Jesus.
Derivation
Rood is an archaic word for pole, from Old English rōd "pole", specifically "cross", from Proto-Germanic *rodo, cognate to Old Saxon rōda, Old High German ruoda "rod".
Rood was originally the only Old English word for the instrument of Jesus Christ's death. The words crúc and in the North cros (from either Old Irish or Old Norse) appeared by late Old English; "crucifix" is first recorded in English in the Ancrene Wisse of about 1225. More precisely, the Rood was the True Cross, the specific wooden cross used in Christ's crucifixion. The word remains in use in some names, such as Holyrood Palace and the Old English poem The Dream of the Rood. The phrase "by the rood" was used in swearing, e.g. "No, by the rood, not so" in Shakespeare's Hamlet (Act 3, Scene 4).
Rood (unit)
Rood has several distinct meanings, all derived from the same basic etymology.
This article refers to the historic English and international inch-pound measure of area, as well as the archaic English measure of length.
Etymology
Rood is an archaic word for "pole", from Old English rōd "pole", specifically "cross", from Proto-Germanic *rodo, cognate to Old Saxon rōda, Old High German ruoda "rod"; the relation of rood to rod, from Old English rodd "pole", is unclear; the latter was perhaps influenced by Old Norse rudda "club".
Measurement of area
Rood is an English unit of area, equal to one quarter of an acre or 10,890 square feet (1,012 m2) or 0.10 hectares). A rectangular area with edges of one furlong (i.e. 10 chains, or 40 rods) and one rod respectively is one rood, as is an area consisting of 40 perches (square rods).
The rood was an important measure in surveying on account of its easy conversion to acres. When referring to areas, rod is often found in old documents and has exactly the same meaning as rood.
Rood (song)
Rood (English: Red) is a single by Dutch artist Marco Borsato from his album Symphonica in Rosso. The song was written and produced by John Ewbank. It reached the number-one position in both the Dutch charts (the Dutch Top 40 and the Mega Single Top 100) and the Flemish Ultratop 50.
