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Added 9 October 2026

rive

/ɹaɪv/ verb

verb Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about rive at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Tear or be torn violently.
The curtain ripped from top to bottom
Separate or cut with a tool, such as a sharp instrument.
cleave the bone

Origin

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.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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