The story
Likely from a corruption of "rowan tree", a phrase which would have been chanted in order to drive off witches, since the tree was believed to be a ward against evil.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Today it means: stand off; move away (said by milkmaids to their cows after milking them) Full definition →
Likely from a corruption of "rowan tree", a phrase which would have been chanted in order to drive off witches, since the tree was believed to be a ward against evil.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.