bereave
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bereave
- /bɪˈɹiːv/ UK
- /bɪˈɹiv/ US
- /bi-/ US
Rhymes with -iːv
Where it comes from
Inherited from Middle English bireven, from Old English berēafian (“to bereave, deprive of, take away, seize, rob, despoil”), from Proto-Germanic *biraubōną, and Old English berēofan (“to bereave, deprive, rob of”); both equivalent to be- + reave. Cognate with Dutch beroven (“to rob, deprive, bereave”), German berauben (“to deprive, rob, bereave”), Danish berøve (“to deprive of”), Norwegian berøve (“to deprive”), Swedish beröva (“to rob”), Gothic 𐌱𐌹𐍂𐌰𐌿𐌱𐍉𐌽 (biraubōn).
verb bereaves · bereaving · bereaved · bereft
- To deprive by or as if by violence; to rob; to strip. Madam, you have bereft me of all words,
- To take away by destroying, impairing, or spoiling; take away by violence. All your interest in those territories / Is utterly bereft you; all is lost.
- To deprive of power; prevent.
- To take away someone or something that is important or close; deprive. Death bereaved him of his wife.
- To destroy life; cut off.
