n. [ F., fr. (assumed) L. rapagium, rapaticum, fr. rapere to carry off by force, to ravish. See Rapacious, Ravish. ] Desolation by violence; violent ruin or destruction; devastation; havoc; waste; as, the ravage of a lion; the ravages of fire or tempest; the ravages of an army, or of time. [ 1913 Webster ]

Would one think 't were possible for love
To make such ravage in a noble soul? Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Despoilment; devastation; desolation; pillage; plunder; spoil; waste; ruin. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Ravaged p. pr. & vb. n. Ravaging ] [ F. ravager. See Ravage, n. ] To lay waste by force; to desolate by violence; to commit havoc or devastation upon; to spoil; to plunder; to consume. [ 1913 Webster ]

Already Caesar
Has ravaged more than half the globe. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

His lands were daily ravaged, his cattle driven away. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To despoil; pillage; plunder; sack; spoil; devastate; desolate; destroy; waste; ruin. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who, or that which, ravages or lays waste; spoiler. [ 1913 Webster ]

obs. imp. of Rive. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Raved p. pr. & vb. n. Raving. ] [ F. rêver to rave, to be delirious, to dream; perhaps fr. L. rabere to rave, rage, be mad or furious. Cf. Rage, Reverie. ] 1. To wander in mind or intellect; to be delirious; to talk or act irrationally; to be wild, furious, or raging, as a madman. [ 1913 Webster ]

In our madness evermore we rave. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Have I not cause to rave and beat my breast? Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

The mingled torrent of redcoats and tartans went raving down the valley to the gorge of Killiecrankie. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To rush wildly or furiously. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To talk with unreasonable enthusiasm or excessive passion or excitement; -- followed by about, of, or on; as, he raved about her beauty. [ 1913 Webster ]

The hallowed scene
Which others rave of, though they know it not. Byron. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To utter in madness or frenzy; to say wildly; as, to rave nonsense. Young. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Prov. E. raves, or rathes, a frame laid on a wagon, for carrying hay, etc. ] One of the upper side pieces of the frame of a wagon body or a sleigh. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. An instance of raving. [ PJC ]

2. A highly flattering or enthusiastic review of a play, book, etc. [ PJC ]

3. A clamorous dance party, especially one featuring a band or disc jockey playing loud modern rock music oriented toward young people, held in a large room such as a warehouse, often organized by an informal or ad hoc sponsor. [ originally British slang ] [ PJC ]

n. (Shipbuilding) A tool, hooked at the end, for enlarging or clearing seams for the reception of oakum. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Raveled r Ravelled; p. pr. & vb. n. Raveling or Ravelling. ] [ OD. ravelen, D. rafelen, akin to LG. rebeln, rebbeln, reffeln. ] 1. To separate or undo the texture of; to unravel; to take apart; to untwist; to unweave or unknit; -- often followed by out; as, to ravel a twist; to ravel out a stocking. [ 1913 Webster ]

Sleep, that knits up the raveled sleave of care. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To undo the intricacies of; to disentangle. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To pull apart, as the threads of a texture, and let them fall into a tangled mass; hence, to entangle; to make intricate; to involve. [ 1913 Webster ]

What glory's due to him that could divide
Such raveled interests? has the knot untied? Waller. [ 1913 Webster ]

The faith of very many men seems a duty so weak and indifferent, is so often untwisted by violence, or raveled and entangled in weak discourses! Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]