RAVEN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does raven mean? 

• RAVEN (noun)
  The noun RAVEN has 1 sense:

1. large black bird with a straight bill and long wedge-shaped tail

  Familiarity information: RAVEN used as a noun is very rare.

• RAVEN (verb)
  The verb RAVEN has 4 senses:

1. obtain or seize by violence

2. prey on or hunt for

3. eat greedily

4. feed greedily

  Familiarity information: RAVEN used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• RAVEN (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Large black bird with a straight bill and long wedge-shaped tail

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Synonyms:

Corvus corax; raven

Hypernyms ("raven" is a kind of...):

corvine bird (birds of the crow family)

Holonyms ("raven" is a member of...):

Corvus; genus Corvus (type genus of the Corvidae: crows and ravens)

• RAVEN (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Obtain or seize by violence

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "raven" is one way to...):

seize (take or capture by force)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 2

Meaning:

Prey on or hunt for

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Synonyms:

predate; prey; raven

Context example:

These mammals predate certain eggs

Hypernyms (to "raven" is one way to...):

forage (wander and feed)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Eat greedily

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Synonyms:

devour; guttle; pig; raven

Context example:

he devoured three sandwiches

Hypernyms (to "raven" is one way to...):

eat (take in solid food)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Feed greedily

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Context example:

The lions ravened the bodies

Hypernyms (to "raven" is one way to...):

eat; feed (take in food; used of animals only)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP

 Context examples 

Long after this, a man was making his way through the wood when he heard a raven calling, and he followed the sound of the voice.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

Her purple riding-habit almost swept the ground, her veil streamed long on the breeze; mingling with its transparent folds, and gleaming through them, shone rich raven ringlets.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Laurie opened the window, and croaked out as hoarsely as a raven...

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

His mirth was hoarse and ghastly, like a raven's croak, and the sick wolf joined him, howling lugubriously.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

That delicately bronzed skin, almost oriental in its coloring, that raven hair, the large liquid eyes, the full but exquisite lips,—all the stigmata of passion were there.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

His companion was young and straight, with a quick, elastic step and graceful bearing, though so swathed in a black mantle that little could be seen of her face save a flash of dark eyes and a curve of raven hair.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Her hair of a shining raven black, and curiously braided; her eyes were dark, but gentle, although animated; her features of a regular proportion, and her complexion wondrously fair, each cheek tinged with a lovely pink.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

Scarcely were the words out of her mouth, when the child in her arms was turned into a raven, and flew away from her through the open window.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

His swarthy cheek and raven black hair spoke of the fiery south, and he wore his long black cloak swathed across his chest and over his shoulders in a graceful sweeping fashion, which was neither English nor French.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

'Yes, let us go on,' said the man. His voice was hollow, like the klonk of an old raven, and he was hunger-mad. His eyes were like live coals of fire, and as his body rocked to and fro, so rocked his soul inside.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)