▪ I. ravin1, raven2
(ˈrævɪn, ˈræv(ə)n)
Forms: α. 4–6 rau-, ravyn(e, 6 Sc. rawyne, 4–7 rauine, 6–7 -in, 4– ravine, 5– ravin. β. 4–5 rau-, raveyn, 4–6 rau-, raveyne, -ayn(e. γ. 4–7 rauen, 6 ravene, 4– raven.
[a. F. ravine († rabine, raveine, 12th c.):—L. rapīna rapine. The orig. sense of the word is now lost in Fr., see ravine n.]
1. a. Robbery, rapine. (Sometimes fig. from 2.)
| α 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 3368 Thefte alswa and ravyn, Ilkan of þir es a dedly syn. c 1400 Rom. Rose 6813 Bailifs, bedels, provost, countours! These lyven wel nygh by ravyne. 1484 Caxton Fables of æsop iii. vi, He that lyueth but of rauyn and robberye shal at the last be knowen and robbed. 1570–6 Lambarde Peramb. Kent (1826) 95 Oppressing the common people by insatiable rauine, extortion, and tyrannie. 1629 Maxwell tr. Herodian (1635) 103 Yet shall you want nothing which is..not clogged with violence and ravine. 1728–46 Thomson Spring 339 With hot ravine fir'd, ensanguin'd Man Is now become the lion of the plain. 1862 Rawlinson Anc. Mon. I. Assyria iii. 308 Blood, and ravin, and robbery are their characteristics. |
| β c 1380 Wyclif Serm. Sel. Wks. I. 3 Sum men shal be dampnyd more felly for raveyne. c 1430 Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 210 To punysshe extorcioun, raveyne, and eche robbour. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 88/1 He wold kepe hys people fro the Rauayne that they made. c 1520 Treat. Galaunt (1860) 21 Prelatis necligence, lordis rauayn, and marchauntis deceytes. |
| γ 1502 Arnolde Chron. (1821) 240 Do thy besy deuor From my folke al rauen to disseuor. c 1510 More Picus Wks. 22 If thou withdrawe thine handes, and forbere The rauen of anyething. 1617 Fletcher Valentinian v. iv, Why doe we like to feed the greedy Raven Of these blowne men? 1826 E. Irving Babylon II. viii. 303 A generation of raven and blood-thirstiness. |
† b. With a and pl.: An act of rapine. Obs.
| c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. i. pr. iv. 9 (Camb. MS.) Whan I say the fortunes..of poeple of þe prouinces ben harmyd..by pryuey Raueynes [L. privatis rapinis]. 1475 Bk. Noblesse (Roxb.) 73 Suche oppressions and tirannyes, ravynes and crueltees. 1546 J. Heywood Prov. (1867) 77 Sens we were borne, Ruine of one rauine, was there none gretter. 1593 Queen Elizabeth tr. Boeth. i. pr. iv. 9, I sorowed for the provinces misfortunes, wrackt by private ravins and publick taxes. |
2. a. The act or practice of seizing and devouring prey or food; hence, voracity, gluttony.
| c 1381 Chaucer Parl. Foules 336 Þe goshauke that dothe pyne To bryddis for his outragious ravine. c 1440 Hylton Scala Perf. (W. de W. 1494) ii. xiv, Some men are torned into wulfes that lyuen by raueyn. 1578 Chr. Prayers A iv, Preserue me from..pride of eyes, rauine of the belly,..hunger of richesse, [etc.]. 1609 Holland Amm. Marcell. xv. v. 57 As wild beasts, wont to liue of ravine and prey. 1691 Ray Creation (1714) 119 Exposed to the Ravine of any vermine that may find them. 1856 Ruskin Mod. Paint. IV. v. xviii. §26 Their pastured flocks..safe from the eagle's stoop and the wolf's ravin. 1935 W. Empson Poems 4 Nor heeds if the core be brown with maggots' raven. |
b. beast (etc.) of ravin: beast of prey.
| 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 9448 Many hydus bestes of ravyn, Als wode wolfes, lyons and beres felle. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xxxiv. 153 Vowltures, egles, rauyns, and oþer fewlez of rauyne. 1503 Dunbar Thistle & Rose 125 And lat no fowll of rawyne do efferay. 1623 Lisle ælfric on O. & N. Test. Ded. 32 To keepe Your flocks within, and beasts of ravine out. 1641 Milton Animadv. Wks. (1851) 233 The very garbage that drawes all the fowles of prey and ravin..to come, and gorge upon the Church. 1897 F. Thompson New Poems 143 All fair strong beasts of ravin. |
† c. A beast of prey. Obs. rare—1.
| 1623 Fletcher & Rowley Maid in Mill v. ii, Seiz'd on by a fierce and hungry Bear She was the Ravin's prey. |
† d. Ravenous hunger. Obs. rare—1.
| 1649 G. Daniel Trinarch., Hen. V, cci, A Tiger, (whom lanke Ravin fires To sett vpon the Herds). |
3. concr. That which is taken or seized; plunder, spoil; prey (of men or beasts).
| a 1325 Prose Psalter lxi. 10 Ne wil ȝe nouȝt couaite rauyns. 1382 Wyclif Nahum ii. 12 The lyoun..fulfillede with praye her dennys, and his couche with rauyn [1388 raueyn]. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. xi. 12 His deepe devouring iawes Wyde gaped,..Through which into his darke abysse all ravin fell. 1667 Milton P.L. x. 599 There best, where most with ravin I may meet. 1836 For. Q. Rev. XVII. 163 There are others again which leap like tigers suddenly upon their ravin. 1860 Pusey Min. Proph. 238 Petra..was well suited to be the receptacle of ravin. |
4. attrib. as adj. = ravenous.
| 1423 Jas. I. Kingis Q. clvii, The lesty beuer and the ravin bare. 1601 Shakes. All's Well iii. ii. 120, I met the rauine Lyon. 1615 Crooke Body of Man 165 The great abundance of meate deuoured by Rauen-stomackes and Trencher-friends. |
▪ II. † ˈravin2 Obs.
[a. F. ravin (1690), f. raviner to hollow out, to ravine.]
= ravine n. 3.
| 1760–72 tr. Juan & Ulloa's Voy. (ed. 3) I. 153 The inconveniences of the ravins are avoided. 1785 Phil. Trans. LXXV. 18, I found myself in the bottom of a narrow and deep ravin. 1813 Hobhouse Journey (ed. 2) 444 Uneven downs..terminating in heaths intersected by several ravins. |
▪ III. ravin
obs. f. raven n.1, var. raven v.