rap-, rav-

(Latin: tearing away, seizing, swift, rapid; snatch away, seize, carry off; from Latin rapere, "to seize by force and to carry off")

raven (adjective) (not comparable)
1. Lustrous black: Sherry has beautiful raven locks of hair.
2. To have a great appetite or to be very hungry: The wrestler was well-known for his raven appetite after each match.
raven (s) (noun), ravens (pl)
Any of several large, corvine birds having lustrous, black plumage and a loud, harsh call; especially, "Corvus corax", of the New and Old Worlds: He saw birds that had shiny black feathers and looked like crows, but they were bigger; in fact they really were ravens.
raven (verb), ravens; ravened; ravening
1. To seek plunder or to prey: The newspapers carried reports that the grasshoppers were ravening the countryside and destroying the crops.
2. To eat, to feed, or to devour voraciously or greedily: With his appetite, he ravened like an animal.
3. To seize as spoil or as prey: The invading enemy hordes attempted to raven the treasury of all the gold.
ravening (adjective), more ravening, most ravening
1. Pertaining to being excessively greedy and grasping: Hank's most ravening appetite for money often leads him to speculate on the stock market.
2. A reference to gulping down or craving food in great quantities: Under a microscope, the protozoan appeared to have ravening appetites for minute particles of nutrients.
3. A description of animals that survive by preying on other animals; especially, by catching living prey: The more ravening habits of the coyotes in the wild conflicted with the habits of the domestic animals of the farmers.
ravenous (adjective), more ravenous, most ravenous
1. A descriptive term meaning very hungry: A ravenous person feels as if he or she hasn't eaten for days.

The ravenous predatory animals seize and eat their prey.

After his illness, Adam had a ravenous appetite and ate a large bowl of soup.

2. Etymology: from Latin rapere, "to seize by force".

Back in the early 15th century, a person was called ravenous if he or she were greedy and obsessed with stealing, much like a pirate.

Now, it’s used more often to describe someone who has extreme hunger or desires.

Eager for food or extremely hungry.
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ravenously (adverb), more ravenously, most ravenously
1. In the manner of someone who is starving: Aidan felt ravenously hungry.
2. Very eager or longing for food, satisfaction, or gratification: The birds were feeding ravenously after their long flight.
ravenousness (s) (noun) (no plural)
1. An excessive desire to eat: After the long hike, Trudy's ravenousness encouraged her to take more on her plate than she could actually eat at the lavish buffet.
2. Extreme voracity; rage for prey: The ravenousness of the wolf pack was studied by the park rangers to determine whether they were overkilling the other animals in the area.
ravin (s) (noun), ravins (pl)
1. Extreme hunger, voraciousness of appetite: After the drought and the rains, the ravins of the cattle were satisfied when the grass grew green along the river banks.
2. Victims of an attack; captives: The rabbits in the field were the ravins for the hawk cruising overhead.
3. An assault or capturing by violence or force: The ravin of the owl was observed and photographed from the bird blind by the ornithologist, Mr. Hayes.
4. The act of violently seizing something: The ravins of the beasts for blood and slaughter in that area were well-known.
ravine (s) (noun), ravines (pl)
1. A deep narrow valley or gorge in the earth's surface worn by running water: The ravine looked peaceful during dry weather, but was a raging torrent after a severe rainstorm.
2. Etymology: from about 1760, "deep gorge" came from French ravin, "a gully".

In 1690, from Old French raviner, "to hollow out"; and from French ravine, "violent rush of water, gully".

From Old French ravine, "violent rush, robbery, rapine"; both ultimately from Latin rapina. This sense is influenced by Latin rapidus "rapid".

In Middle English, from about 1350-1500, ravine meant "booty, plunder, robbery"; from Latin rapina, "robbery, plunder"; from rapere, "to seize, to carry off, to rob".

ravish (verb), ravishes; ravished; ravishing
1. To take away forcefully or to seize: Ancient mythology is filled with stories of gods and godlike creatures ravishing mortals and carrying them away.
2. To force an individual into a sexual act against that person's will or desire: The police report noted that poor Celia had been ravished by a gang of unmerciful rebels.
3. To be highly emotional about something: Harriet was ravished by the view of the valley from the pinnacle of the mountain.
4. Etymology: from Middle English, "to seize, to take away by violence"; from Middle French raviss-, stem of ravir; ultimately from Latin rapere, "to seize, to rob".
ravisher (s) (noun), ravishers (pl)
1. Someone who seeks to violate or sexually assault another person: The gang of ravishers were caught by the police before they could ravish another victim.
2. Anyone who takes someone away by force or violence: Jack, the ravisher, was on horseback when he rode through the village and grabbed a young woman and rode away with her as she was screaming for help.
ravishingly (adverb), more ravishingly, most ravishingly
1. Descriptive of an extremity of delight: With a touch of moonlight, the city looked ravishingly lovely.
2. In a very engaging manner or degree or appearance: Sarah's ravishingly good looks charmed everyone who met her.
ravishment (s) (noun), ravishments (pl)
1. The act of seizing by force: The ravishment of the city streets by the mob was chronicled by a tourist using a cell phone camera.
2. Violent removal; such as, the act of carrying someone away by force or against his/her consent; abduction: The ravishment of the children from the village was devastating and many parents wanted to get revenge.
3. The forcible abduction of a woman; and so, the crime of forcing a woman to submit to sexual intercourse against her will: Mildred sought the safety of the shelter after the violent ravishment by her partner.
4. A feeling of bliss as a person is filled with wonder: The power of the painting was like a ravishment of her soul.
surreption (s) (noun), surreptions (pl)
The act of obtaining something by stealth or secret methods: Shirley practiced surreption so she could get the photograph she wanted of the politician.
surreptitious (adjective), more surreptitious, most surreptitious
1. Referring to something that is accomplished or done by stealth or in a cautious way without anyone being aware of what is going on: Jacob made a surreptitious or a covert glance at a young woman.
2. Relating to an action that is done in a sneaky procedure in order to avoid notice: The cat approached the mouse in a surreptitious way so it could get close enough to catch the rodent.
3. Etymology: in about 1443, from Latin surrepticius, "stolen, furtive, secret, clandestine"; from surreptus, past participle of surripere, "to seize, to take away secretly, to steal".

The word is made up of two parts: sub, "from under" (secretly) + rapere, "to snatch, to seize".

Sneaking around.
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Done by stealth.
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Sneaking a peek.
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