English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology
FreeDict.com
verb

bereave

Bereave (verb) means to deprive by or as if by violence; to rob; to strip.

verb
1
To deprive by or as if by violence; to rob; to strip.
2
To take away by destroying, impairing, or spoiling; take away by violence.
3
To deprive of power; prevent.
4
To take away someone or something that is important or close; deprive.
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “bereave” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Etymology

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).

Rhymes for bereave

See all rhymes for bereave →

Frequently asked questions

What is the meaning of bereave?

"bereave" (verb) means to deprive by or as if by violence; to rob; to strip.

What are the different meanings of bereave?

"bereave" has 3 main meanings: 1. To deprive by or as if by violence; to rob; to strip; 2. To take away by destroying, impairing, or spoiling; take away by violence; 3. To deprive of power; prevent.

Definitions from wiktionary, CC BY-SA · etymology from Wiktionary