raven

¹

[rey-vuhn]

noun

1. any of several large, corvine birds having lustrous, black plumage and a loud, harsh call, especially the common raven, Corvus corax, of both the New World and the Old World.

2. Raven, the divine culture hero and trickster of the North Pacific Coast Indians.

3. Astronomy.,  Raven, the constellation Corvus.

adjective

1. lustrous black.

   raven locks of hair.

raven

²

Also rav·in

[rav-uhn]

verb (used without object)

1. to seek plunder or prey.

2. to eat or feed voraciously or greedily.

   to raven like an animal.

3. to have a ravenous appetite.

verb (used with object)

1. to seize as spoil or prey.

2. to devour voraciously.

noun

1. rapine; robbery.

2. plunder or prey.

raven

¹

/ ˈreɪvən /

noun

1. a large passerine bird, Corvus corax , having a large straight bill, long wedge-shaped tail, and black plumage: family Corvidae (crows). It has a hoarse croaking cry

2. 1. a shiny black colour

   2. ( as adjective )

      raven hair

raven

²

/ ˈrævən /

verb

1. to seize or seek (plunder, prey, etc)

2. to eat (something) voraciously or greedily; be ravenous in eating

Raven

³

/ ˈreɪvən /

noun

1. a traditional trickster hero among the native peoples of the Canadian Pacific Northwest

Other Word Forms

• ravener noun
• ravenlike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of raven¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English hrǣfn, hrefn; cognate with German Rabe, Old Norse hrafn

Origin of raven²

First recorded in 1485–95; earlier ravine, from Middle French raviner, ultimately from Latin rapīna “plunder, rapine”; rapine

Word History and Origins

Origin of raven¹

Old English hrǣfn ; related to Old High German hraban , Old Norse hrafn

Origin of raven²

C15: from Old French raviner to attack impetuously; see _ravenous

Origin of raven³

from _raven ¹

Example Sentences

From Snow White to Belle, for decades Disney princesses could have auburn, blonde or raven manes.

From Salon

The image also features a raven resting on her shoe and even more of them swarming around her.

From Los Angeles Times

New powers to shoot young ravens in Orkney are being drawn up by Scotland's natural heritage agency following a spate of attacks on livestock.

From BBC

"When we asked the charter flight company what happened, they said it was eaten by a raven," he said laughing.

From BBC

“Walkable, warm, social, soulful like a raven who tolerates crows, decadent and shockingly green and luscious.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bully 
• devour 
• exploit 
• feed on www.thesaurus.com
• fleece 
• haunt 
• intimidate 
• oppress 
• plunder 
• take advantage of 
• victimize