ravine

ravine
\ \ [15] Ravine and the now seldom encountered rapine ‘plunder’ [15] are essentially the same word. Both come ultimately from Latin rapīna ‘plunder’, a derivative of rapere ‘seize by force’ (from which English gets rape, rapid, rapture, ravenous, etc). This passed directly into English via Old French as rapine, but a variant Old French form also developed, ravine, whose meaning appears to have been influenced by Latin rapidus ‘rapid’. It denoted ‘violent rush, impetus’ – which is how it was used in its brief and very spasmodic career in Middle English. It did not become firmly established as an English word until the 19th century, when it was reborrowed from French in the sense ‘gorge’ – originally as carved out by a ‘violent rush’ or torrent of water.
\ \ Cf.⇒ RAPE, RAPINE, RAPTURE

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • ravine — [ ravin ] n. f. • ravine de terre « avalanche » 1388; raveine 1120; lat. rapina → rapine 1 ♦ Vx Torrent. 2 ♦ (XVIe) Petit ravin; lit encaissé d un ruisseau, d un torrent. « c était une ravine affaissée, usée par le vent et par l eau » (Le Clézio) …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • ravine — (n.) 1760, deep gorge, from Fr. ravin a gully (1680s, from O.Fr. raviner to hollow out ), and from Fr. ravine violent rush of water, gully, from O.Fr. ravine violent rush, robbery, rapine, both ultimately from L. rapina (see RAPINE (Cf. rapine)); …   Etymology dictionary

  • ravine — RAVINE. subst. f. Espece de torrent formé d eaux qui tombent subitement & impetueusement des montagnes, ou d autres lieux eslevez, ensuite de quelque grande pluye. Les ravines ont gasté, ont cavé toutes ces vallées. la ravine estoit si furieuse… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • Ravine — Ravine, PA U.S. Census Designated Place in Pennsylvania Population (2000): 629 Housing Units (2000): 281 Land area (2000): 1.075791 sq. miles (2.786286 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 1.075791 sq …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Ravine, PA — U.S. Census Designated Place in Pennsylvania Population (2000): 629 Housing Units (2000): 281 Land area (2000): 1.075791 sq. miles (2.786286 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 1.075791 sq. miles… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Ravine — Ra*vine (r[.a]*v[=e]n ), n. [F., a place excavated by a torrent, a ravine, fr. ravir to snatch or tear away, L. rapere; cf. L. rapina rapine. See {Ravish}, and cf. {Rapine}, {Raven} prey.] 1. A torrent of water. [Obs.] Cotgrave. [1913 Webster] 2 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • ravine — [n] gap in earth’s surface abyss, arroyo, break, canyon, chasm, clove, coulee, crevasse, crevice, cut, defile, ditch, fissure, flume, gorge, gulch, gulf, gully, notch, pass, valley, wash; concepts 509,513 Ant. plain …   New thesaurus

  • ravine — Ravine, ou ragaz d eauë, Diluuium, Eluuies. Ravines d eauës qui viennent souvent, Crebra diluuia …   Thresor de la langue françoyse

  • ravine — ► NOUN ▪ a deep, narrow gorge with steep sides. ORIGIN French, violent rush …   English terms dictionary

  • ravine — [rə vēn′] n. [Fr, violent rush, flood: see RAVEN2] a long, deep hollow in the earth s surface, esp. one worn by the action of a stream; large gully or small gorge …   English World dictionary

  • ravine — (ra vi n ) s. f. 1°   Espèce de torrent d eau pluviale qui se précipite d un lieu élevé. •   Cette prompte ravine, BRÉBEUF Phars. IV.    Nom donné dans les Antilles à de petits cours d eau qui descendent des montagnes. 2°   Lieu creusé par un… …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

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