By the rood, by the cross; -- a phrase formerly used in swearing. "No,
by the rood, not so." Shak. -- Rood beam (Arch.), a beam across the
chancel of a church, supporting the rood. -- Rood loft (Arch.), a loft
or gallery, in a church, on which the rood and its appendages were set
up to view. Gwilt. -- Rood screen (Arch.), a screen, between the choir
and the body of the church, over which the rood was placed. Fairholt.
-- Rood tower (Arch.), a tower at the intersection of the nave and
transept of a church; -- when crowned with a spire it was called also
rood steeple. Weale. -- Rood tree, the cross. [Obs.] "Died upon the
rood tree." Gower.
Roo"de*bok (?), n. [D. rood red + bok buck.] (Zoöl.) The pallah.