Roof (?), n. [OE. rof, AS. hr&?;f top, roof; akin to D. roef cabin,
Icel. hr&?;f a shed under which ships are built or kept; cf. OS.
hr&?;st roof, Goth. hr&?;t. Cf. Roost.] 1. (Arch.) The cover of any
building, including the roofing (see Roofing) and all the materials and
construction necessary to carry and maintain the same upon the walls or
other uprights. In the case of a building with vaulted ceilings
protected by an outer roof, some writers call the vault the roof, and
the outer protection the roof mask. It is better, however, to consider
the vault as the ceiling only, in cases where it has farther covering.
2. That which resembles, or corresponds to, the covering or the ceiling
of a house; as, the roof of a cavern; the roof of the mouth.
The flowery roof Showered roses, which the morn repaired.
Milton.
3. (Mining.) The surface or bed of rock immediately overlying a bed of
coal or a flat vein.
Bell roof, French roof, etc. (Arch.) See under Bell, French, etc. --
Flat roof. (Arch.) (a) A roof actually horizontal and level, as in some
Oriental buildings. (b) A roof nearly horizontal, constructed of such
material as allows the water to run off freely from a very slight
inclination. -- Roof plate. (Arch.) See Plate, n., 10.
Roof (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Roofed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Roofing.] 1.
To cover with a roof.
I have not seen the remains of any Roman buildings that have not
been roofed with vaults or arches.
Addison.