to reave
1
9.9
- verb
- /riːv/
- Archaic
:
saquear
- During the raid, the marauders planned to reave the merchant ships in the harbor.
Examples
-
I don't want to reave you, but I will.
-
The Viking warriors would often reave the coastal villages for their wealth.
-
In ancient times, it was not uncommon for bands to reave land from their enemies in battle.
Synonyms
49
4.2
To steal things from shops during chaos
38
6.3
To search a place roughly and steal things while making a mess
29
8.1
To steal things by force during war or riots
26
6.0
To steal things by force, often during war or disorder
15
4.6
To steal something secretly when no one is looking
8
8.4
Steal something from someone in a secret way
8
6.7
To search quickly and carelessly through places like drawers to steal things
2
9.3
Steal valuable things and damage a place or person, often by force
2
7.6
To attack a place and take valuable things, often destroying it
To make a short sudden attack to steal things from a place
To steal something from someone often by force
Antonyms
How Violent
Surface Forms
Etymology
The word reave comes from an old English word reafian that meant 'to rob' or 'take away'. So to reave is to take goods by force or as spoils, and you can see the same idea in bereave ('to take away' from someone) and reaver ('a raider').