rap-, rav-

The act of moving, acting, or occurring with great speed: The rapidness of Irving's breathing was of concern to Dr. Novak, who was carefully monitoring him.

1. An extremely fast-moving or fast-flowing part of a river, caused by a steep descent in a riverbed: For their summer holiday, Carl and Hans planned to kayak on the river and to shoot the rapids through the treacherously fast flowing water.
2. The part of a river where the current moves faster than the common current: The rapids in the river were filled with large boulders and Eric and Stuart decided to portage around them by carrying their boat and supplies overland.

A rapids is a section of a river where it loses elevation or height over a relatively short distance and the stream goes down steeply causing an increase in water flow and turbulence.

1. A forcible or violent seizure of another person's property; a plundering: The marauding soldiers undertook a rapine of horses from the farmer.
2. The act of despoiling (plundering valuables) by force of a country during warfare: Some of the rapines of villages has been described in the writings of historical authors of those times.
3. Etymologically: from Middle English, from Old French, from Latin rapna, from rapere, "to seize, to take".

Someone who forces another person to have sexual intercourse: The serial rapist was caught by the police and confined to jail until a court appearance.

The newspapers reported on a gang of rapists who were terrorizing the city.

1. Referring to a situation in which someone is fascinated by or concentrating on something to the exclusion of everything else: Shirley was staring with rapt attention at her professor who was teaching about the various tribes of Africa.
2. Relating to showing or suggesting deep emotions of joy or ecstasy and joy: Tina's father had rapt pleasure as his daughter was singing in the musical presentation.

Harry's rapt expression reflected the pleasure he felt while he was listening to the marvelous music on TV.

3. Conveying a deeply engrossing or absorbing situation: The students gave the teacher their rapt attention as she told them about the trip that the class would be taking.

The children sat as rapt listeners while the storyteller was reading the story about the fairies.

4. Characteristic of showing or proceeding with great happiness or excitement: Marjory's mother expressed her rapt pleasure when she came to visit with her children.

Cindy stood in front of the famous painting with a rapt smile on her face.

5. A reference to being carried off spiritually to another place, sphere of existence, etc.: As David was near death, he looked forward to the rapt day when he would be taken from this world into heaven.
6. Etymology: from Latin raptus, past participle of rapere, "to seize, to snatch".

The figurative sense is from the notion of "being carried up into Heaven (bodily or in a dream)", as in a saint's vision.

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Birds of prey that kill other birds and animals for food and which usually have sharp talons and a sharp curved beaks: Owls, eagles, and hawks are examples of raptors which are well known.

These raptors are just a few of the numerous carnivorous birds that hunt and kill other animals for food.

1. Characteristic of birds that survive by preying on other animals in various habitats: The raptorial habits of the owls and other birds were being presented to the university students who were studying ornithology.
2. Relating to those animals that are adapted for seizing prey with their talons and beaks: The hawk has special raptorial claws on its feet for snatching birds while they are flying in the sky.

1. Extreme delights or happiness: There were raptures of joy when the residents of the community heard that the floods had receded and would not cause any further damage or harm.
2. Utterances or expressions of appreciation and rejoicing: The critics went into raptures about the performance of the musician.
3. The carrying of a person to another place or a better sphere of existence: There are some religious leaders who preach the coming of a rapture which many of the faithful believe.
4. In theology, the experiences, anticipated by some fundamentalist Christians, of meeting Christ midway in the air upon His return to earth: The spirituality of the woman was seen in her face as she prayed that she would see the rapture of her Lord.

Some historical artists depicted the raptures of saints in their allegorical paintings that have underlying meanings as well as literal ones.

5. A feeling of great happiness, pleasure, or love: William and Elizabeth listened with rapture as their twelve-year old girl sang a solo during the school musical.

1. The state or condition of being transported by a lofty emotion; ecstasy: Dirk's academic achievements raptured his parents.
2. The transporting of a person from one place to another; especially, to heaven: The belief that, in the "last days", Christians will be raptured from the earth before the final tribulation.

Rapture originally meant being caught up in an emotional state, typically involuntary and uncontrollable; however, now, it simply means "great joy" or "ecstasy".

A person who believes he or she will be transported into the spiritual realm, sometimes applied to the second coming of Jesus Christ, when true believers are expected to rise up to join Him in heaven: In an unprecedented action, the rapturists sold all of their worldly belongings and gathered at the river with joyful expressions on their faces in anticipation of meeting their Lord.

1. Feeling great delight: It was with rapturous enthusiasm that the food critic wrote her column about the new restaurant, praising the decor, the menu, the service, and the ambiance.
2. Full of, feeling, or manifesting ecstatic joy or delight: The rapturous critic of the concert left no doubt in the reader’s mind as to the future of the pianist.
3. Characterized by, attended with, or expressive of great joy and happiness: The politician's speech was given rapturous reviews by the press. © ALL rights are reserved.
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1. In an ecstatic manner (showing or feeling great pleasure or delight): The book was rapturously received by many readers.
2. A description of extreme pleasure and happiness or excitement: The Johnson family rapturously described their vacation trip to Alaska.

1. An expression or manifestation of ecstasy or great joy: The rapturousness of the medical staff and the parents about their daughter Nancy's recovery from the near fatal accident was more than easy to understand.
2. A state or experience of being carried away by overwhelming emotion: Lorna was full of rapturousness when her boyfriend asked her to marry him and he gave her a beautiful engagement ring.
3. A mystical experience in which the spirit is exalted to a knowledge of divine things: Standing on the hillside, Carolyn had a sense of rapturousness, something close to an ecstatic revelation.
4. The final assumption of Christians into heaven during the end-time according to a certain Christian theology: Many believe that the final rapturousness may be accompanied by bright skies and choirs of angels.

1. To bring heavy destruction on; to devastate: A tornado ravaged the town causing severe demolition to the buildings and houses.
2. To pillage; to sack: The enemy soldiers ravaged the village, looting and plundering along the way.
3. The act or practice of pillaging, destroying, or devastating: The rioters got out of control and started ravaging the stores in the shopping center. 

Destruction or damage: The ravages of the tornadoes were known to the millions who saw them on TV.

Adam's body showed the ravages of years of hard times.