Word: ravin Part of Speech: verb Etymology: The noun is derived from Middle English ravin, ravine, raven (“rapine, robbery; rape; force, violence; greed, rapacity; stolen goods, booty, plunder; prey, quarry; pursuit of prey; predatoriness, voracity”), from Anglo-Norman ravein, raveine, ravine (“rapine, robbery; rape; force, violence; greed, rapacity; impetuousness; stolen goods”), Middle French ravine, and Old French ravine (“rapine, robbery; force, violence; impetuousness”), from Latin rapīna (“pillage, plunder, robbery, rapine; booty, plunder”), from rapiō (“to abduct, carry off; to grab, snatch; to rape; to steal”) (from Proto-Italic *rapjō (“to seize, take away”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁rep- (“to snatch”)) + -īna (suffix forming abstract nouns). The adjective is derived from Middle English ravin, ravine (“predatory; ravenous”), from Middle English ravin, ravine (noun): see above. The verb is not attested before the 16th century, but words like Middle English raviner, ravinour (“plunderer; robber; rapist; predator”), ravening (“act of robbery; predatoriness, rapacity”, noun), and ravening, ravining (“(adjective) savage, ravening; (noun) preceded by ‘the’: the devil”) suggest that it existed in the 14th and 15th centuries, and was probably derived from the noun. Compare Middle French raviner (“to make furrows”), Old French raviner (“to take by force; to rush; to stream”) (modern French raviner). Pronunciation: /ˈɹæv(ɪ)n/, /ˈɹæv(ə)n/ 1. Sometimes followed by away or from: to obtain or seize (something, especially property) by force or violence; to plunder. Labels: archaic, literary, transitive Example: [They] aſſaulted by night a certen aũciẽt [auncient] gentleman at home in his owne houſe, which had done thē [them] no diſpleaſure, and being a ſlepe in his bed at their cõming [comming], whan he had hardly eſcaped awaye half naked, rauening and diſtroying his goodes, they ſpoyled his wyfe and chyldren of all theyr apparell, and threatening them ofte with death, left thẽ [them] ſtarck naked, in ſo muche that one of the Nobilitie comming thither by chaunce, couered the woman with his owne garment. Example: Hee changed his vvages tenne times, ſought to eat him vp, & to rauin all hee could get from him. 2. Sometimes followed by down, up, or (obsolete) in: to eat (something, such as food or prey) greedily; to devour, to wolf down. Labels: archaic, literary, transitive Example: Her princes in the middes thereof are like vvolues, rauening yͤ pray [prey] to ſhed blood, and to ſhed blood, and to deſtroye ſoules for their ovvne couetous lucre. Example: As God was able to ſaue the bodies of his ſeruantes, that they were not hurt in the fire, as he was able to keepe Ionas ſafe, in the whales bellie: ſo can he preſerue our bodies in the earth. Yea, much better, becauſe the fire naturally conſumeth, and the fiſhes bellie deſtroieth thoſe things which they rauine: but the earth naturally preſerueth that which is earthie. 3. To absorb or take in (something, such as information) greedily; also, to approach or pounce on (someone) like prey. Labels: archaic, figuratively, literary, transitive Example: [S]he fenced them in their need / With iron-handed Duty's sternest creed, / 'Gainst Self's lean wolf that ravens word and deed. Example: But some characters in books are very real—Jane Austen's are; and I know those five Bennets at the opening of Pride and Prejudice, simply waiting to raven the young men at Netherfield Park, are not giving one thought to the real facts of marriage. 4. Followed by about, after, or for: to go after or seek for something, especially booty or spoils; to maraud, to plunder; also (generally), to move about wildly and cause damage; to rampage. Labels: archaic, intransitive, literary Example: Transferd by fortune to the Scottiſh meare, / To ranſack that, as it had been rauin'd heere. Example: [T]he Inhabitants of the Countrey, a barbarous and inhumane people (as generally Sea-borderers are) and inur'd to the ſpoil of VVracks, vvere not over haſty to acquaint the Duke's Officers vvith this, that they might not be diſturbed vvhilst buſie ravening after Booty. 5. To eat greedily; also, followed by on or upon: of an animal: to prey on. Labels: archaic, intransitive, literary Example: He is an horrible lurtcher ſe howe he rauyneth: […] Example: The couaitous deſyre of riche men is euer vnſaciable. It always raueneth and neuer is ſatisfied. 6. Sometimes followed by about or on: to move about searching for food or prey ravenously. Labels: archaic, intransitive, literary Example: Beniamin ſhal rauine as a vvolfe: in the morning, he ſhal deuoure the praie, and at night he ſhal diuide the ſpoile. Example: [T]he Arms and Hands of the Bear, […] are his ſtrength and inſtrument of action to raven and prey vvith; […] 7. Sometimes followed by after or for: to have a ravenous appetite or craving for food or prey. Labels: archaic, intransitive, literary Example: [B]ecause hogs are commonly rauening for their meat, more then other cattel, it is meet therefore to haue them ringed, or elſe they will doe much hurt in digging and turning vp corne fieldes, […] Example: They passed along towards the great hall-door, where the winds howled and ravened for their prey; […] 8. Originally followed by with: to experience great hunger; to be ravenous. Labels: archaic, intransitive, literary Example: For hovv […] ſhall I knovv thee to be a man, vvhen thou kickeſt like an aſſe, neygheſt like an Horſe after vvomen, raueſt in luſt like a Bull, raueneſt like a Beare, ſtingeſt like a Scorpion, rakeſt like a VVolfe, as ſuttle as a Foxe, as impudent as a Dogge; ſhall I ſay thou art man that haſt all the Symptomes of a beaſt? 9. To take and exploit or make use of greedily. Labels: archaic, figuratively, intransitive, literary 10. Sometimes followed by after or for: to have a strong craving or desire for, or to do, something; to crave, to desire, to yearn. Labels: archaic, figuratively, intransitive, literary Example: Iſa[belle]. She has qualmes too every morning: ravins mightily for green-fruit; and ſvvoones at the ſight of hot meat. / Non[such]. She's vvith Childe! I am undone: I am undone! Example: Here's my brother thirsting, ravening to make your acquaintance—and by George! you are in luck's way, young hopeful, to make his.