▪ I. † reˈvive, n. Obs. rare.
[f. the verb.]
a. Revival, restoration to life. b. A revival (of a play) on the stage.
| 1589 Greene Menaphon (Arb.) 50 Hee is dead, and there⁓fore grieue not thy memorie with the imagination of his new reuiue. 1663 Pepys Diary 22 July, He grew very proud, and demanded 20l. for himself extraordinary..upon every new play, and 10l. upon every revive. |
▪ II. revive, v.
(rɪˈvaɪv)
Also 5 revyfe, 5–6 reuyue, revyue, 6 revyve, 6–7 reuiue, 7 reviue.
[ad. F. revivre (10th c., = Prov. reviure, Pg. reviver, Sp. revivir, It. rivivere) or post-classical L. revīvĕre, f. re- re- + vīvĕre to live. The trans. use (expressed in Italian by rivivare) probably originated in the conjugation of the perfect and past tenses with is, was, etc.]
I. intr.
1. To return to consciousness; to recover from a swoon or faint.
| 1432–50 tr. Higden (Rolls) VI. 477 Canutus..lay on the grownde as dedde; whiche revivynge, was gladde that he was reservede to lyfe [etc.]. 1530 Palsgr. 690/1 He is in suche a swounde that I wene he wyll never revyve agayne. 1611 Bible Judg. xv. 19 When he had drunke, his spirit came againe, and he reuiued. 1634 Milton Comus 840 And through the porch and inlet of each sense [they] Dropt in Ambrosial Oils till she reviv'd. 1725 Pope Odyss. v. 507 As pious children joy..When a lov'd sire revives before their sight. 1769 Blackstone Comm. IV. xxxii. 399 It is clear, that if, upon judgment to be hanged by the neck till he is dead, the criminal be not thoroughly killed, but revives, the sheriff must hang him again. 1852 Mrs. Stowe Uncle Tom's C. xxviii. 268 St. Clare had fainted,..but as Miss Ophelia applied restoratives, he revived, opened his eyes. 1884 Pae Eustace 11 ‘She is reviving,’ exclaimed Eustace. |
2. a. To return or come back to life; to regain vital activity, after being dead; to live again.
| 1526 Tindale Rom. xiv. 9 Christ therfore dyed and rose agayne and revived. 1567 J. Maplet Gr. Forest 25 [Their parts] being once so discerped..can neuer after reuiue and quicken againe. 1591 Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, i. i. 18 Henry is dead, and neuer shall reuiue. 1628 T. Spencer Logick 128 The Sunne dyes by setting, and revives by rising, man dyes, but revives no more. 1659 Pearson Creed (1839) 334 Nothing properly dieth but the body:..and nothing can revive but that which dieth. 1712–14 Pope Rape Lock v. 70 She smil'd to see the doughty hero slain, But, at her smile, the Beau reviv'd again. 1737 Gentl. Mag. VII. 113/2 Still the pale dead revives and lives to me. 1819 Scott Let. in Lockhart (1837) IV. ix. 284 Dr. Morris ought, like Nourjahad, to revive every half century, to record the fleeting manners of the age. 1861 Trench Comm. Ep. Churches Asia 11 Who revived at the touch of Elisha's bones. |
| fig. a 1661 B. Holyday Juvenal (1673) To Rdr., The endeavor of such, as would prove that Martial..in his later age reviv'd into Christianity. 1888 Pop. Sci. Monthly XXXIII. 386 Emotionally we revive in our children. |
b. Chem. To return to the metallic state.
| 1825 J. Nicholson Operat. Mechanic 765 When the lead revives, it separates the gold from the sand. |
3. a. To assume fresh life or vigour after nearly dying or becoming extinct. Also fig.
| 1526 Tindale Phil. iv. 10, I reioyse..greatly that now at the last ye are revived agayne to care for me. 1530 Palsgr. 677/1, I quycken, I revyve, as a thyng dothe..that was wyddered, or almoste deed, and retourneth to lyfe agayne. 1592 Shakes. Ven. & Ad. 338 Even as a dying coal revives with wind. 1611 Bible Hosea xiv. 7 They that dwell vnder his shadow shall returne: they shall reuiue as the corne. 1667 Milton P.L. ii. 493 If chance the radiant Sun..Extend his ev'ning beam, the fields revive. a 1763 Shenstone Elegies iii. 30 The sweetest bud that blows Revives less lovely from the recent show'r. 1776 Gibbon Decl. & F. xii. (1782) I. 396 The strength of Aurelian had crushed on every side the enemies of Rome. After his death they seemed to revive with an increase of fury and of numbers. 1821 Shelley When passion's trance is overpast, After the slumber of the year..All things revive in field or grove. |
b. To resume courage or strength; to recover from depression.
| 1530 Palsgr. 677/1, I quycken or revyve, I take hert, je deuiens vif. 1535 Coverdale Gen. xlv. 27 Whan he sawe y⊇ charettes that Ioseph had sent to fetch him, his sprete reuyued. 1611 Bible 1 Mac. xiii. 7 As soone as the people heard these words, their spirit reuiued. 1667 Milton P.L. xi. 867, I revive At this last sight, assur'd that Man shall live. 1817 Shelley Rev. Islam iv. xxxiii, My powers revived within me, and I went..Through many a vale. 1860 J. W. Warter Sea-board II. 200 When this was done, his spirits seemed to revive. |
4. a. Of feelings, dispositions, etc.: To become active or operative again.
| 1494 Fabyan Chron. v. cxv. 89 His olde condicions began in him to reuyue and quycken, soo that at length he retournyd to his olde accustomed vycys. 1526 Tindale Rom. vii. 9 When the commaundement came synne revyved and I was deed. 1621 T. Williamson tr. Goulart's Wise Vieillard 69 There are sinnes, which doe not grow old, nor dye in old age, but commonly grow young, and reuiue againe. 1746 Hervey Medit. (1818) 271 Anon, sin revives, and leads our souls into a transient, though unwilling captivity. 1779 Cowper Human Frailty 8 But Passion rudely snaps the string [of the bow], and it [sc. vice] revives again. 1814 Scott Ld. of Isles vi. ix, And Love, howe'er the maiden strive, Must with reviving hope revive! 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. v. I. 544 Ambitious hopes which had seemed to be extinguished, had revived in his bosom. 1859 Geo. Eliot A. Bede xxvi, The jealousy and fretfulness which had revived when Adam came to tell her that [etc.]. |
b. To return to a flourishing state; to assume fresh life or vigour after decline or decay; also in Law, to become valid again.
| 1565 Cooper Thesaurus s.v. Resurgo, Maiestas Pop. Rom. resurrexit, reuiued, or came to the olde state agayne. 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 124 Such is the kinde of your cause, that, together with the commonwealth,..it must of necessitie, as it were, revive. 1709 Pope Ess. Crit. 701 Then Sculpture and her sister-arts revive; Stones leap'd to form, and rocks began to live. 1709 Steele Tatler No. 1 ¶6 It is not now doubted but Plays will revive, and take their usual Place in the opinion of Persons of Wit and Merit. 1737 Gentl. Mag. VII. 3/2 Therefore I do not doubt..Trade will here again revive. 1771 Encycl. Brit. II. 910/2 Upon the vassals resignation, the superior's right of property revives. 1840 Macaulay Clive Ess. (1897) 541 The abuses which he had suppressed began to revive. 1858 Ld. St. Leonards Handy-Bk. Prop. Law xix. 149 If..you desire the gift to the legatee to revive also, you should expressly declare such to be your intention. 1891 Sat. Rev. 24 Oct. 471/2 It looked as if speculation there was once more reviving; but it fell away again. |
c. To return, come back again, after a period of abeyance.
| 1759 Goldsm. Polite Learn. iii, Happy country, where the pastoral age begins to revive! 1809 Scott Let. in Lockhart (1837) II. v. 194 The days of William Wallace..seem to be reviving there. 1881 Stevenson Lett. (1899) I. 226 But the old time is dead also, never, never to revive. |
II. trans.
5. To restore to consciousness; to bring back from a swoon or faint, or from a state of suspended animation.
In some instances with was, etc., perh. intr. (cf. etym. note).
| c 1430 Syr Gener. (Roxb.) 9745 On swounyng she fel him beforn; Whan that she revived was, She called hir doghtre Lucidas. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon cl. 570 Huon and she..fell downe bothe in a traunce..: then the lordes reuyued them. 1548 Elyot, Reuiuisco, to be reuiued; to recouer life agayne. 1684 Bunyan Pilgr. ii. (1900) 176 They fetcht her a Bundle of Myrrh, and awhile after she was revived. 1719 De Foe Crusoe i. (Globe) 243 This Water reviv'd his Father more than all the Rum or Spirits I had given him. 1737 Whiston Josephus, Antiq. ii. vii. §5 Jacob almost fainted away at this..great joy; however Joseph revived him. |
6. To restore to life; to resuscitate or reanimate; to bring back from death or the grave.
| 1470–85 Malory Arthur xvi. xiii. 682 The blood that the grete foule bled reuyued the chyckens from deth to lyf. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 139 b, Caused the spiryt of man after deth to returne to the body & reuyue the same. 1590 Spenser F.Q. ii. iii. 22 Hable to heale the sicke, and to revive the ded. 1603 England's Welcome to Jas. I, iii. ix, He Lazarus reuiued from the graue. 1655 Fuller Ch. Hist. ii. x. 129, I remember not in Scripture that God ever revived a brute Beast. 1700 Dryden Pal. & Arc. iii. 877 Old ægeus only could revive his son. 1711 Steele Spect. No. 97 ¶2 A Prince could not revive a Dead Man by taking the Life of him who killed him. 1818 Shelley On a Faded Violet 11, I weep,—my tears revive it not! I sigh,—it breathes no more on me. |
| absol. c 1440 Found. St. Bartholomew's (E.E.T.S.) 27 He roys vp hole And wente to his owne, yeldynge thankynges to God that mortifieth and revyuyth, smytyth and helyth. |
| transf. c 1450 Cov. Myst. (Shaks. Soc.) 256 Into this werd Goddys sone hath sowth For veray love man to revyfe. 1597 Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, iv. i. 200 To end one doubt by Death Reuiues two greater in the Heires of Life. 1742 Gray Adversity 45 The gen'rous spark extinct revive, Teach me to love and to forgive. |
7. a. To restore from a languid, depressed, or morbid state; to infuse fresh life or vigour into. † Also const. with inf.
| a 1547 Surrey in Tottel's Misc. (Arb.) 7 Reuiued with a glimse of grace olde sorowes to let fall. 1567 Turberv. Ovid's Ep. 67 In fayth I was revivde At those thy cheerfull words. 1591 Spenser M. Hubberd 756 He..with sweete delight Of Musicks skill revives his toyled spright. 1612 Brinsley Lud. Lit. 5 The Lord will reuiue you, I hope, and all of us also who labour in this toyling kinde. 1697 Dryden æneid i. 633 What first æneas in this place beheld, Reviv'd his courage, and his fear expell'd. 1712 Blackmore Creation iv. 446 Th' admitted Nitre..Revives the Fire, and referments the Blood. 1725 De Foe Voy. round World (1840) 316 Our men were revived with this discovery. 1794 Mrs. Radcliffe Myst. Udolpho v, St. Aubert was revived by rest, and by the serene air of this summit. 1806 Med. Jrnl. XV. 16 The turpentine revives the function of the liver. 1824 W. Irving T. Trav. I. 251 Like a summer cloud, which..revives the fields over which it passes. 1898 J. Geikie Earth Sculpt. 306 The erosive energy of the rivers is renewed, and they are said therefore to be revived. |
† b. To restore (persons) to a flourishing or thriving state. Obs. rare.
| 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 304 b, Thus beyng againe revived [L. auctus], he forgot the benefit received. 1573 Tusser Husb. (1878) 31 What helpes to reuiue the thriuing to thriue? Plough, fense, and store, aught else before. |
c. To renew; to restore again from or after decline or decay.
| 1631 Weever Anc. Funeral Mon. 369 His Monument is lately reuiued by the Companie of the mystery of Mercers. 1633 P. Fletcher Purple Isl. v. i, And Thirsil with night's death revives his morning lay. 1686 tr. Chardin's Trav. Persia 11 The War in Candy..encourag'd 'em to revive their Commerce in the Territories of the Grand Signior. 1731–8 Swift Polite Conv. Introd. 62 When Conversation appears in Danger to flag,..I took care to invent some sudden Question..to revive it. 1759 Goldsm. Polite Learn. iii, Two poets in an age are not sufficient to revive the splendour of decaying genius. 1799 Med. Jrnl. II. 175 Those who are endeavouring so meritoriously to revive the reputation of digitalis. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) V. 127 Plato is not disposed to encourage amateur attempts to revive religion in states. |
8. a. To set going, make active or operative, again.
| 1494 Fabyan Chron. vii. ccxxiv. 250 Malcolyn departyd from the Kyng in great dyspleasure, for the which..y⊇ warre atwene Englonde and Scotlande was reuyued. 1547 Act 1 Edw. VI, c. 7 Preamble, The Demandants..were compelled.. to prosecute and sue Resummons..to revive their said Actions. 1598 J. Manwood Lawes Forest xxv. (1615) 257 The plees may be reuiued againe by the Kings writ of resummons. 1600 E. Blount tr. Conestaggio 303 Yet the estates did not forbeare..to reuiue the demaunds made at the estates helde at Tomar. 1696 Phillips s.v., To Revive an old grudge. 1727–38 Chambers Cycl. s.v. Revivor, Praying the former proceedings may stand revived, and be put in the same condition as at the time of the abatement. 1845 S. Austin Ranke's Hist. Ref. I. 349 Supported by the nation, he would have been able to revive the ancient opposition to the papacy. 1856 Froude Hist. Eng. (1858) II. vii. 176 The attempts which during that time were made to revive the feuds of the houses. |
b. To re-enact (a law, etc.); to renew or revalidate; to reopen (an election).
| a 1548 Hall Chron., Edw. IV, 225 b, Suche Lawes..as kyng Henry the sixte had caused to be abrogated.., he again reuiued and renouated. 1641 Baker Chron. (1653) 226 A Parliament is holden, in which the Acts made in the eleventh year of king Richard were revived. 1655 Clarke Papers (Camden) III. 24 His Highnesse..hath past an ordinance for reviveing the former ordnance against horse races for 6 monthes longer. 1736 Gentl. Mag. VI. 301 The best Way to remedy this Grievance would be by reviving and pursuing the Design of the Act. 1747 Col. Rec. Pennsylv. V. 101 The last Act only [is] repealed, by which means the former stands revived. 1818 Cruise Digest (ed. 2) II. 65 A writ of scire facias, for the defendant to shew cause why the judgement should not be revived. 1839 Montagu & Neale Law Parl. Elect. i. 28 When once the poll is formally concluded by public announcement..the election is complete, and cannot be revived. 1858 Ld. St. Leonards Handy-Bk. Prop. Law xix. 148 You may wish to revive your will after you have revoked it. |
| absol. 1838 Story Equity Pleadings 393 In each of these cases, if the appropriate Bill is not brought by the party seeking to revive a demurrer will lie. |
c. To reawaken (a desire, etc.).
| 1590–6 Spenser F.Q. (J.), Noise of arms..Might not revive desire of knightly exercise. a 1771 Gray Dante 4 Would'st thou revive the deep Despair. 1838 Prescott Ferd. & Is. ii. ix. III. 36 The beautiful specimens of pearls..revived the cupidity of the nation. 1859 FitzGerald Omar iv, Now the New Year reviving old Desires, The thoughtful Soul to Solitude retires. |
9. a. To bring into existence or use, to set up, again; to restore or re-establish (something which has been discontinued or out of use).
| 1495 Rolls of Parlt. VI. 469/2 That the same Manours..be reuiued and reannexed to the said Duchie of Cornwall. 1516 Birgette in Myrr. Our Lady (E.E.T.S.) p. l, And loo a meruaylous thyng, the olde myracle was reuyued. 1582 Stanyhurst æneis i. (Arb.) 24 Theare must thee kingdoom with Troian fame be reuiued. 1617 Moryson Itin. ii. 246 The end of our prosecution is to reforme the Kingdome, to reuiue Justice and order. a 1653 Gouge Comm. Heb. x. 10 This demonstrateth the great danger..of reviving Jewish ceremonies. 1712 Prideaux Direct. to Ch.-wardens (ed. 4) 81 It may cost the Parish a Chancery Suit again to revive the Trust. 1776 Gibbon Decl. & F. x. (1782) I. 301 To execute this..arduous design, he first resolved to revive the obsolete office of censor. 1826 Disraeli Viv. Grey v. xv, We might all retire to this valley, and revive the feudal times with great success. 1866 Seeley Ecce Homo iii. (ed. 8) 28 In what new form he proposed to revive the ancient monarchy. a 1878 Sir G. Scott Lect. Archit. (1879) I. 348 If the revivers went on the principle of now reviving one style and now another. |
b. To bring back again into knowledge, notice, or currency.
In quot. 1577 perh. used for reviewed, revised.
| 1509 Hawes Past. Pleas. i. (Percy Soc.) 9 Their great actes agayne to revive, In flaming tongues for to abyde on lyve. 1577 Vicary's Anat. (title-p.), Which work is newly reuyued, corrected, and published by the Chirurgions of the same Hospital. 1605 Bacon Adv. Learn. ii. vii. §1 That..I may reviue and reintegrate the misapplyed..name of Natural Magicke. 1630 Prynne Anti-Armin. 124 It reuiues the old Pelagian Tenet. 1693 Dryden Disc. Satire Ess. (ed. Ker) II. 29 In my opinion, obsolete words may then be laudably revived. c 1730 Swift Verses on Death of Dr. Swift Wks. 1751 VII. 249 He'll treat me, as he does my Betters,..Revive the Libels born to die. 1778 F. Burney Evelina lxxvii, Have you, Madam, been prevailed upon to revive that ridiculous old story? 1837 Lockhart Scott I. xi. 416 Scott's object and delight was to revive the fame of the Rhymer. 1882 Ainger Lamb vi. 99 The publishers brought out..a new monthly journal, reviving in it the name of an earlier, and extinct periodical. |
c. To put (an old play) upon the stage again; also, in modern use, to resume (a series of broadcast programmes). Also intr. for pass.
| 1823 Examiner 845/1 Do the managers ‘revive’ some of the standard plays? 1899 A. W. Ward Eng. Dram. Lit. I. ii. 248 Thersytes..was printed at some date not earlier than 1561; it may have been revived under Queen Elisabeth. 1912 G. B. Shaw Let. 13 Feb. in Lett. to Granville Barker (1956) 179 The play [sc. Hamlet] revives sensationally every 15 years or so. 1955 Times 13 May 16/1 The B.B.C. had left the door open when its run ended. It would be too soon for Hughie Green to ‘raise his eyebrows’ in September, 1949, because he had not been told that it would be revived. 1977 Times Lit. Suppl. 25 Feb. 200/2 The plays..do not in my view revive successfully today. |
10. a. To bring again before the mind; to renew the memory of (a person or thing); to recall.
| 1638 Sir T. Herbert Trav. (ed. 2) 160 The Citizens..send him a choking message reviving the cruelty done..his brother. 1670 Pettus Fodinæ Reg. Ep. Ded., At every 70 Years some signal Occurrence revived them to our Memories. 1690 Locke Hum. Und. ii. x. §2 The mind has a power..to revive perceptions which it has once had. 1711 Steele Spect. No. 192 ¶8 You cannot recal your Father by your Grief, but you may revive him to his Friends by your Conduct. 1759 Dilworth Pope 85 Some of the letters served to revive past scenes of friendship. 1813 Shelley Q. Mab ii. 246 The Spirit..felt All knowledge of the past revived. 1855 Bain Senses & Int. iii. i. §8 Take first the recovery of feelings of energetic action, as when reviving the exploits and exertions of yesterday. 1860 Tyndall Glac. i. iii. 24 The surrounding scene revived..all the impressions of my boyhood. |
| refl. 1774 Johnson Let. to W. Hastings 30 Mar., I cannot omit this opportunity of reviving myself in your memory. |
b. To renew or freshen up, to bring back to one (the memory of some person or thing).
| 1592 Nashe P. Pennilesse 18 b, Vpbraiding me for reuiuing in an epistle of mine the reuerend memory of Sir Thomas Moore. 1665 Boyle Occas. Refl. Pref. (1848) p. xxx, The Objects..do revive the Memory of those good Thoughts. 1713 Steele Guardian No. 5 ¶2 This Conversation revives to us the Memory of a Friend. 1781 Gibbon Decl. & F. xxvii. (1787) III. 66 Every disgraceful moment of the unfortunate reigns of Arcadius and Honorius revived the memory of their irreparable loss. |
11. Chem. To convert, restore, or reduce (a metal, esp. mercury) to or into its natural condition or form; to restore from a mixed to a natural state; to revivify.
| 1677 W. Harris tr. Lemery's Course Chem. 17 Thus Cinnaber and the other preparations of Mercury are Revived into Quick-silver. a 1691 Boyle Notes & Exper. Mercury Wks. 1742 I. 645 Divers philosophical Spagyrists..order it [mercury] to be..sublimed with acid salts or sulphurs, and then revived with alkalies. 1727–38 Chambers Cycl. s.v. Mercury, By diluting the whole with an ounce of aqua stygia, the whole grain of mercury will be revived. 1784 Phil. Trans. LXXIV. 160 If a solution of luna cornea in volatile alkali be triturated with mercury, the silver will be revived. 1812 Sir H. Davy Chem. Philos. 40 Bayen shewed that mercury converted into a calx or earth..could be revived without the addition of any inflammable substance. 1839 Ure Dict. Arts 1116 Silver..was formerly called a perfect metal, because heat alone revived its oxide. 1878 Encycl. Brit. VIII. 114 It was observed..that certain metals could be ‘revived’ from solutions of their salts on the passage of a current of electricity. |
12. a. To treat (faded clothing, etc.) with a reviver; to renovate. rare.
| 1836 Dickens Sk. Boz, Characters x, It [sc. the hat] was as black as the coat. The truth flashed suddenly upon us—they had been ‘revived’. |
b. To restore to clearness; to bring out clearly.
| 1861 E. O'Curry Lect. on MS. Materials 150, I took the necessary means of reviving the ink. 1875 Scrivener Lect. Grk. Test. 18 Attempts have been made to revive the faded characters. |