verb
C2
Proficient
ravish
RA-vihsh
Ravish (verb) means to fill someone with intense delight or joy. Example: “The soprano's voice ravished the entire audience.”
verb
1
To fill someone with intense delight or joy.
"The soprano's voice ravished the entire audience."
2
An older, formal word meaning to rape or sexually assault.
"The novel's dated language describes the villain attempting to ravish the heroine."
How to use ravish
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishNow most often used to mean overwhelming someone with delight; historically also a euphemism for sexual assault.
When to use it
The "delight" sense (as in "ravishing") is common today; the assault sense is dated and appears mostly in older literature.
Easily confused with
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- ravishes
- Past tense
- ravished
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The soprano's voice _____ the entire audience.
Etymology
From Old French ravir ("to seize, snatch away"), from Vulgar Latin rapire, from Latin rapere ("to seize").
Synonyms
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Rhymes for ravish
See all rhymes for ravish →Frequently asked questions
What does “ravish” mean?
The word “ravish” means to fill someone with intense delight or joy.
How do you pronounce “ravish”?
“Ravish” is pronounced RA-vihsh (/ˈɹæ.vɪʃ/ in IPA).
How do you use “ravish” in a sentence?
Here is “ravish” used in a sentence: “The soprano's voice ravished the entire audience.”
What is another word for “ravish”?
Words with a similar meaning to “ravish” include abripe.
What part of speech is “ravish”?
“Ravish” is a verb.
Where does the word “ravish” come from?
The word “ravish” comes from Vulgar Latin. From Old French ravir ("to seize, snatch away"), from Vulgar Latin rapire, from Latin rapere ("to seize").
How many meanings does “ravish” have?
“Ravish” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to fill someone with intense delight or joy.
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