Emily Dickinson Lexicon

TRO'VER, n. [Fr. trouver, It. trovare, to find; Sw. träffa, to hit; Dan. treffer, to meet with; træf, an accident; D. and G. treffen, to meet, to hit. Trover is properly the finding of any thing. Hence,]

1. In law, the gaining possession of any goods, whether by finding or by other means.
2. An action which a man has against another who has found or obtained possession of any of his goods, and who refuses to deliver them on demand. This is called an action of trover and conversion. In this case, the trover or finding is an immaterial fact, but the plaintif must prove his own property, and the possession and conversion of the goods by the defendant. Blackstone.