rive
5 synonyms for rive, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Verb — To pull something apart violently.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Etymology
Came from Middle English riven ("to rive"), of North Germanic origin, from Old Norse rífa ("to rend, tear apart"), from Proto-Germanic *rīfaną ("to tear, scratch"), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁reyp- ("to crumble, tear"). It is cognate with Danish rive ("to tear"), Old Frisian rīva ("to tear"), Old English ārǣfan ("to l...
Full origin of rive →