roof

Etymology 1

From Middle English rof, from Old English hrōf (“roof, ceiling; top, summit; heaven, sky”), from Proto-Germanic *hrōfą (“roof”).

noun

1. (architecture) The external covering at the top of a building.
   The roof was blown off by the tornado.
   'Twas the house I'd seen the roof of from the beach. 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, chapter 1, in Mr. Pratt's Patients]
   The very first sound that you’ll hear on the roof (Provided there’s fog) will be Rudolph’s small hoof. 1931, Robert L. May, Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer, Montgomery Ward, draft
   The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire! We don't need no water: Let the motherfucker burn! Burn, motherfucker, burn! 1984, Rock Master Scott & the Dynamic Three (lyrics and music), “The Roof Is on Fire”
2. The top external level of a building.
   Let's go up to the roof.
   When this old world starts getting me down And people are just too much for me to face, I climb way up to the top of the stairs And all my cares just drift right into space On the roof, it's peaceful as can be And there, the world below can't bother me... 1962, Gerry Goffin et al. (lyrics and music), “Up on the Roof”
3. The upper part of a cavity.
   The palate is the roof of the mouth.
   As Bent pulled away to the far post, Agbonlahor opted to go it alone, motoring past Gary Caldwell before unleashing a shot into the roof of the net. October 1, 2011, John Sinnott, “Aston Villa 2-0 Wigan”, in BBC Sport
4. (mining) The surface or bed of rock immediately overlying a bed of coal or a flat vein.
5. (climbing) An overhanging rock wall.

Etymology 2

From Middle English rofen, roven (“to roof”), from the noun (see above).

verb

1. (transitive) To cover or furnish with a roof.
2. To traverse buildings by walking or climbing across their roofs.
3. (transitive, slang) To put into prison, to bird.
   Did you see them, David? I mean, did you see them looking at me? I-I'm walking out of the court, and everybody was practically – yeah, they were gawking. […] I mean, Noah roofed me, I proved it, end of story. 1998-03-04, “Law and Disorder”, in Beverly Hills, 90210, season 08, episode 22
   I’m open, hype off the chronic I was smoking, feeling zooted That Brooklyn shit got me stupid I’m loose, kid – that’s what the overproof did What the ruck you looking at, son? You’ll get roofed, kid! 2000-01-01, “Stupid”, in Mr. Metaphor (lyrics), The Will Tell Compilation Vol. 1: Thats Right Inc., performed by Word A' Mouth, Block McCloud, and Mr. Metaphor
   Inhale the mystical, the blue shit See me on the stoop shit, act stupid at the park, the ball, get roofed Baby see the cops, the drugs, she boofed it 2012-11-15, “Brown Bag Wrap”, in Rare Chandeliers, performed by Action Bronson
   You don’t want war, you’re shook of it Hella man dash when their friend got roofed 2018-05-05, “Attempted 1.0”, AM (lyrics), performed by Skengdo & AM of 410
4. (transitive) To shelter as if under a roof.
   They reached him: the pieces of rock had roofed him over—he was without injury or scratch. 1865, Thomas Greenbury, Pleasant Rambles Over Moors, Mountains, Mines, and Waterfalls