Word.ws English Dictionary

ravin

Syllables: rav·in/ˈɹæv(ɪ)n/US/ˈɹæv(ə)n/

ravin noun: property obtained or seized by force or violence; booty, plunder, spoils.

Noun

ravin (countable and uncountable, plural ravins)

  1. (archaic, literary) Property obtained or seized by force or violence; booty, plunder, spoils.
    • Petra, through its rocky ramparts, was well suited, as Nineveh in the huge circuit of its massive walls was well built, to be the receptacle of ravin.1860, E[dward] B[ouverie] Pusey, “Obadiah [Commentary on verse 6]”, in The Minor Prophets: With a Commentary Explanatory and Practical and Introductions to the Several Books, Oxford, Oxfordshire...
  2. (archaic, literary, uncountable) Of a (predatory) animal: seizing or devouring of food or prey; predation.
    • [T]he rage and furie of the barbarous nations brake out into a flaming fire: and like as vvild beaſts, vvont to live of ravine and prey vvhen keepers be ſlacke and negligent, […] vvithout regard of life, run upon vvhole heards and flockes of cattell: […]1609, Ammianus Marcellinus, “[The XVI. Booke.] Chapter II. The Vertues of Iulianus, Beseeming a Magnanimous Prince, Ammianus Marcellinus Exactly Describeth.”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Roman...
    • The Kites and Rauens are not farre avvay, / Nor beaſts of rauin that ſhall make a prey / Of a poore corpſe, vvhich they from me ſhall haue, / And their foule bovvels ſhall be all thy graue.1630, Michael Drayton, “David and Goliah”, in The Muses Elizivm, Lately Discouered, by a New Way over Parnassvs. […], London: […] Thomas Harper, for Iohn Waterson, […], →OCLC, page 205
  3. (archaic, figuratively, literary, uncountable) Gluttony, greed, rapacity; also, the quality of being predatory; predatoriness.
    • [W]ith hot Ravine fir'd, enſanguined Man / Is novv become the Lyon of the Plain, / And vvorſe.1728, [James] Thomson, Spring. A Poem, […] A[ndrew] Millar, […]; and G[eorge] Strahan, […], →OCLC, page 21
    • No appetite, that like the unchilded sea / […] hungers for such orts / As riot spares lean want, is yet so wide, / So vast of ravin or so blind in scope, / As can abide the chewed and perished meats / That relish died upon.1860, Algernon Charles Swinburne, “Rosamond. A Play.”, in The Queen-mother. Rosamond. Two Plays, London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], →OCLC, Act IV, page 201
  4. (archaic, countable, literary, obsolete, rare) A predatory animal; a predator.
    • […] Nurſe Amaranta / In a remove from Mora to Corduba / VVas ſeiz'd on by a fierce and hungry Bear, / She vvas the Ravins prey, as heaven ſo vvould, […]1623 (first performance), John Fletcher, William Rowley, “The Maid in the Mill”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647...
  5. (archaic, literary, obsolete, uncountable) Obtaining or seizing property by force or violence; pillage, plunder, robbery; (countable, chiefly in the plural) an instance of this.
    • The. iiii. rule. […] If thou withdrawe thine handes, and forbere, / The rauens of anyething: remember than, / How his [Jesus's] innocent handes nailed were.a. 1536 (date written), Thomas More, “The Life of John Picus Erle of Myrandula, […]. Twelve Rules of John Picus Earle of Mirandula, Partely Exciting, Partely Directing a Man in Spiritual Bataile.”...
    • Ceſtreus, a kind of codfiſh, which neuer eateth any other fyſhe, wherof came this prouerbe, Ceſtreus ieiunae, the codde faſteth, ſpoken of good and iuſt men, whiche do noe raueyn nor taketh any other mens gooddes from theim.1542, Thomas Eliot [i.e., Thomas Elyot], “Cestreus”, in Bibliotheca Eliotæ: Eliotis Librarie, London: Thomas Berthelet, […], published 1545, →OCLC, signature H.iiii., recto, column 1
  6. (archaic, literary, obsolete, uncountable) That which a predatory animal seizes for food; prey; also (hunting) an animal which is hunted; quarry.
    • [H]is deepe deuouring iavves / VVyde gaped, like the grieſly mouth of hell, / Through vvhich into his darke abyſſe all rauin fell.1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto XI”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 11, page 158
    • To mee, vvho vvith eternal Famin pine, / Alike is Hell, or Paradiſe, or Heaven, / There beſt, vvhere moſt vvith ravin I may meet; / VVhich here, though plenteous, all too little ſeems / To ſtuff this Mavv, this vaſt unhide-bound Corps.1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC, signature...

Adjective

ravin (comparative more ravin, superlative most ravin)

  1. (archaic, literary, obsolete) Ravenous.
    • […] I am the cauſe / His death vvas ſo effected: Better 'tvvere / I met the rauine Lyon vvhen he roar'd / VVith ſharpe conſtraint of hunger: better 'tvvere, / That all the miſeries vvhich nature ovves / VVere mine at once.c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...
    • A vessel in mid-ocean, her heaved prow / Clambering, the mast bent and the ravin wind / In her sail roaring.1827–1879 (date written), Alfred Tennyson, “Part II”, in The Lover’s Tale, London: C[harles] Kegan Paul & Co., […], published 1879, →OCLC, page 65

Verb

ravin (third-person singular simple present ravins, present participle ravining, simple past and past participle ravined)

  1. (archaic, literary, transitive) Sometimes followed by away or from: to obtain or seize (something, especially property) by force or violence; to plunder.
    • [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...1560 October 5 (Gregorian calendar), John Sledaine [i.e., Johannes Sleidanus], “The .XXIJ. Booke”, in Ihon [i.e., John] Daus, transl., A Famouse Cronicle of Oure Time, Called Sleidanes Commentaries...
    • Hee changed his vvages tenne times, ſought to eat him vp, & to rauin all hee could get from him.1621, George Hakewill, “Verse 6”, in King Davids Vow for Reformation of Himselfe, His Family, His Kingdome. Deliuered in Twelue Sermons before the Prince His Highnesse vpon Psalm 101, London: […]...
  2. (archaic, literary, transitive) Sometimes followed by down, up, or (obsolete) in: to eat (something, such as food or prey) greedily; to devour, to wolf down.
    • 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.1560, [William Whittingham et al., transl.], The Bible and Holy Scriptures Conteyned in the Olde and Newe Testament. […] (the Geneva Bible), Geneva: […] Rouland Hall, →OCLC, Ezekiél XXII:27, folio...
    • 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...a. 1572 (date written), Iohn Iewel [i.e., John Jewel], “The First Epistle of S. Paule to the Thessalonians. Chap[ter] 4. [verses 13–14]”, in An Exposition vpon the Two Epistles of the Apostle S. Paul...
  3. (archaic, figuratively, literary, transitive) To absorb or take in (something, such as information) greedily; also, to approach or pounce on (someone) like prey.
    • [S]he fenced them in their need / With iron-handed Duty's sternest creed, / 'Gainst Self's lean wolf that ravens word and deed.1875 April 19 (date delivered; published 1875 June), James Russell Lowell, “Ode Read at the One Hundredth Anniversary of the Fight at Concord Bridge, 19th April, 1875”, in Three Memorial Poems...
    • 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.1948 October, Dodie Smith, chapter V, in I Capture the Castle, Boston, Mass.: Little, Brown and Company, →OCLC, part I (The Sixpenny Book: March), pages 55–56
  4. (archaic, intransitive, literary) 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.
    • Transferd by fortune to the Scottiſh meare, / To ranſack that, as it had been rauin'd heere.1603, Michaell [i.e., Michael] Drayton, “The Barrons Warres. The First Booke.”, in The Barrons Wars in the Raigne of Edward the Second. […], London: […] I[ames] R[oberts] for N[icholas] Ling, →OCLC...
    • [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.1670, [Guillaume] Girard, “The Ninth Book”, in Charles Cotton, transl., The History of the Life of the Duke of Espernon, the Great Favourite of France. […], London: […] E. Cotes, and A. Clark, for...
  5. (archaic, intransitive, literary) To eat greedily; also, followed by on or upon: of an animal: to prey on.
    • He is an horrible lurtcher ſe howe he rauyneth: […]1530 July 28 (Gregorian calendar), Iohan Palsgraue [i.e., John Palsgrave], “The Table of Verbes”, in Lesclarcissement de la langue francoyse⸝ […], [London]: […] [Richard Pynson] fynnysshed by Iohan...
    • The couaitous deſyre of riche men is euer vnſaciable. It always raueneth and neuer is ſatisfied.1545 July 12 (Gregorian calendar), Thomas Elyot, A Preseruatiue agaynste Deth, London: […] Thomas Berthelet, […], →OCLC, signature [B.vi.], recto
  6. (archaic, intransitive, literary) Sometimes followed by about or on: to move about searching for food or prey ravenously.
    • Beniamin ſhal rauine as a vvolfe: in the morning, he ſhal deuoure the praie, and at night he ſhal diuide the ſpoile.1560, [William Whittingham et al., transl.], The Bible and Holy Scriptures Conteyned in the Olde and Newe Testament. […] (the Geneva Bible), Geneva: […] Rouland Hall, →OCLC, Genesis XLIX:27, folio...
    • [T]he Arms and Hands of the Bear, […] are his ſtrength and inſtrument of action to raven and prey vvith; […]1680, Henry More, chapter XIII, in Apocalypsis Apocalypseos; or The Revelation of St John the Divine Unveiled. […], London: […] J. M. for J[ohn] Martyn, and W. Kettilby, […], →OCLC, page 124
  7. (archaic, intransitive, literary) Sometimes followed by after or for: to have a ravenous appetite or craving for food or prey.
    • [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, […]1587, Leonard Mascall, “The Nature and Qualities of Hogges, & also the Gouernement thereof”, in The First Booke of Cattell. Wherein is Shewed, the Gouernement of Oxen, Kine, and Calues, and How to...
    • They passed along towards the great hall-door, where the winds howled and ravened for their prey; […]1852 December, [Elizabeth Gaskell], “The Old Nurse’s Story”, in Lizzie Leigh; and Other Tales. […], copyright edition, Leipzig, Saxony: Bernhard Tauchnitz, published 1855, →OCLC, page 115
  8. (archaic, intransitive, literary) Originally followed by with: to experience great hunger; to be ravenous.
    • 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...1621, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], “Democritus Iunior to the Reader”, in The Anatomy of Melancholy, […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and Iames Short, for Henry Cripps...
  9. (archaic, figuratively, intransitive, literary) To take and exploit or make use of greedily.
  10. (archaic, figuratively, intransitive, literary) Sometimes followed by after or for: to have a strong craving or desire for, or to do, something; to crave, to desire, to yearn.
    • 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!1667 (revival performance), John Dryden, The Wild Gallant: A Comedy. […], In the Savoy [London]: […] T[homas] Newcomb for H[enry] Herringman, […], published 1669, →OCLC, Act IV, page 59
    • Here's my brother thirsting, ravening to make your acquaintance—and by George! you are in luck's way, young hopeful, to make his.1892, S[abine] Baring-Gould, “Jamie’s Ride”, in In the Roar of the Sea: A Tale of the Cornish Coast […], volume II, London: Methuen & Co. […], →OCLC, page 33

ravin meaning in Urdu

ravin in Urdu

لوٹ مار, شکار

Examples of ravin in a sentence

  • [T]he clustered cottages, […] with their pastured flocks around them, safe from the eagle's stoops and the wolf's ravin, […]1856, John Ruskin, “Resulting Forms:—Fifthly, Stones”, in Modern Painters […], volume IV, London: Smith, Elder and Co., […], →OCLC, part V...
  • And sure since we were borne, / Ruine of one ravine, was there none gretter: […]1546, John Heywood, chapter IX, in Julian Sharman, editor, The Proverbs of John Heywood. […], London: George Bell and Sons, […], published...
  • Tho' Nature, red in tooth and claw / With ravine, shriek'd against his creed— […]1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto LV”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 80:
  • 'I had a brother-in-law,' said Moss Perkins, 'who was one of the ravinest, maddest, reddest-hottest abolitionists you ever see.[…]'1851 June 13, “An abolitionist at fault”, in W[illia]m Lloyd Garrison, editor, The Liberator, volume XXI, number 24 (number 1066 overall)...

Synonyms of ravin

4 more synonymsFewer synonyms

All synonyms of ravin

Forms of ravin

Noun
pluralravins
alternative formraven
alternative formravine
Adjective
comparativemore ravin
superlativemost ravin
Verb
third-person singular presentravins
present participleravining
past participleravined
pastravined
second-person singular present (archaic)ravinest
second-person singular past (archaic)ravinedst
third-person singular present (archaic)ravineth

Origin of ravin

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...

Words formed from ravin

Words that rhyme with ravin

Questions about ravin

What does ravin mean?
Ravin means property obtained or seized by force or violence; booty, plunder, spoils.
What is ravin in Urdu?
Ravin in Urdu is لوٹ مار, شکار. See Ravin meaning in Urdu.
How do you use ravin in a sentence?
[T]he clustered cottages, […] with their pastured flocks around them, safe from the eagle's stoops and the wolf's ravin, […]
What part of speech is ravin?
Ravin can be a noun, an adjective or a verb.
How do you pronounce ravin?
Ravin is pronounced /ˈɹæv(ɪ)n/ (UK).
What is the plural of ravin?
The plural of ravin is ravins.

Words near ravin in the dictionary

  1. ravier
  2. raviers
  3. ravigote
  4. ravigotes
  5. Ravilious
  6. ravin
  7. ravin down
  8. ravin'
  9. Ravinder
  10. Ravindra
  11. Ravindran

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: ravin (page history and authors); ravin (Urdu Wiktionary) (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-raven (not bird).wav.

Cite this entry: “ravin.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/ravin. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.