v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Reaved Reft or Raft obs.); p. pr. & vb. n. Reaving. ] [ AS. reáfian, from reáf spoil, plunder, clothing, reófan to break (cf. bireófan to deprive of); akin to G. rauben to rob, Icel. raufa to rob, rjūfa to break, violate, Goth. biráubōn to despoil, L. rumpere to break; cf. Skr. lup to break. √114. Cf. Bereave, Rob, v. t., Robe, Rove, v. i., Rupture. ] To take away by violence or by stealth; to snatch away; to rob; to despoil; to bereave. [ Archaic ]. “To reave his life.” Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

He golden apples raft of the dragon. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

If the wooers reave
By privy stratagem my life at home. Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

To reave the orphan of his patrimony. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

The heathen caught and reft him of his tongue. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who reaves. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]