ravish
/ˈɹæ.vɪʃ/ verb
Forms ravishes ravishing ravished
- verb (archaic or literary) To seize and carry away by violence; to snatch by force.
- verb (transitive, usually passive voice) To transport with joy or delight; to delight to ecstasy.
- verb (transitive, dated) To rape.
- verb (informal) To have vigorous sexual intercourse with.
Synonyms
abduct kidnap outrage ravage violate abuse constuprate defile defoul dishonour force misuse oppress pollute rape r-word scotch turn out viole vitiate assault dishonor enchant enrapture transport enthrall enthral delight
Etymology
From Middle English ravyschen, from Anglo-Norman, from Old French ravis-, present participle stem of ravir (“to seize; to take away hastily”), from Vulgar Latin *rapire, from Latin rapere. See also rape.
Webster’s 1913
- verb To seize and carry away by violence; to snatch by force.
- verb To transport with joy or delight; to delight to ecstasy. "Ravished . . . for the joy." Chaucer.
Etymology [OE. ravissen, F. ravir, fr. L. rapere to snatch or tear away, to ravish. See Rapacious, Rapid, and -ish.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “ravish”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details