What does "rive" mean?
A place torn; a rent; a rift.
Rive
/ɹaɪv/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A place torn; a rent; a rift.
- Grammar: rive is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: amputate, ax, bisect, breach.
- Usage evidence: I have seen tempests, when the scolding winds / Have rived the knotty oaks[…]
How to use "rive"
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- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "rive" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "rive" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
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Compare nearby meanings
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Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "rive" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
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3. Confirm with context
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Final meaning check
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When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A place torn; a rent; a rift.
- 2 A bank or shore.
Verb
- 1 To tear apart by force; to rend; to split; to cleave. transitive
"I have seen tempests, when the scolding winds / Have rived the knotty oaks[…]"
- 2 To land.
- 3 separate or cut with a tool, such as a sharp instrument wordnet
- 4 To pierce or cleave with a weapon. archaic, transitive
"And therwith she toke the swerd from her loue that lay ded and fylle to the ground in a swowne / And whan she aroos she made grete dole out of mesure / the whiche sorowe greued Balyn passyngly sore / and he wente vnto her for to haue taken the swerd oute of her hād but[…]sodenly she sette the pomell to the ground / and rofe her self thorow the body"
- 5 tear or be torn violently wordnet
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 To break apart; to split. intransitive
"The varlet at his plaint was grieu'd so sore, / That his deepe wounded hart in two did riue[…]."
- 7 To burst open; explode; discharge. rare, transitive
"Ten thousand French have ta'en the sacrament, To rive their dangerous artillery"
- 8 To use a technique of splitting or sawing wood radially from a log (e.g. clapboards).
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname from French.
Example
"I have seen tempests, when the scolding winds / Have rived the knotty oaks[…]"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "rive"?
Common synonyms include: amputate, ax, bisect, breach, break, broach.
How do you use "rive" in a sentence?
I have seen tempests, when the scolding winds / Have rived the knotty oaks[…]
How do you pronounce "rive"?
Pronounced /ɹaɪv/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English riven (“to rive”), of North Germanic origin, from Old Norse rífa (“to rend, tear apart”), from Proto-Germanic *rīfaną (“to tear, scratch”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁reyp- (“to crumble, tear”). Cognate with Danish rive (“to tear”), Old Frisian rīva (“to tear”), Old English ārǣfan (“to let loose, unwrap”), Old Norse ript (“breach of contract, rift”), Norwegian Bokmål rive (“to tear”), Swedish riva (”to tear”) and Albanian rrip (“belt, rope”). More at rift.
Etymology 2
Compare Latin ripa (“shore”)
Etymology 3
Borrowed from French Rive.