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reavern. Origin: A word inherited from Germanic. Etymology: Cognate with or formed similarly to Old Frisian rāvere , Middle Dutch rōver (Dutch rover ), Middle Low German rōver , Old High German roubāri (Middle High German roubære , röuber , German Räuber , †Rauber ) < the Germanic base of reave v.1 + the Germanic base of -er suffix1. Compare (all ultimately < Middle Low German rōver ) Old Icelandic raufari , reyfari , Old Swedish rövare (Swedish rövare ), Old Danish røfuære , røfuær (Danish røver ); compare likewise rover n.1The γ. forms in ei may simply show a diacritic spelling indicating the presence of a long vowel. On modern use of the form reiver outside Scots and English regional (northern) use see note at reave v.1 the mind > possession > taking > stealing or theft > thief > robber > sacker, raider, or looter > [noun] α. eOE King Ælfred tr. Boethius (Otho) xxxvii. 114 Gif þu on hwilcum men ongitst þæt he bið gitsere & reafere [L. alienarum opum uiolentus ereptor], ne scealt þu hine na hatan mon, ac wulf. OE (Northumbrian) xxii. 52 Quasi ad latronem existis cum gladiis et fustibus : suę uel to hreafere [OE Rushw. reofere] gie cuomon uel mið suordum & stencgum. OE Ælfric (Cambr. Gg.3.28) xix. 189 Sceaðan & reaferas, oððe reðe manslagan..nabbað godes rice. ?a1160 (Laud) (Peterborough contin.) anno 1137 Gif twa men..coman ridend to an tun, al þe tunscipe flugæn for heom, wenden ðat hi wæron ræueres. c1225 (?c1200) (Bodl.) (1940) 430 (MED) Reauers hit..robbið. a1300 in C. Brown (1932) 72 (MED) He haueþ bi-tauht þe o tresur..And bit þe luke þine bur, & wilneþ þat þu hit wyte wel Wyþ þeoues, wiþ reueres, wiþ lechurs. a1400 (a1325) (Vesp.) l. 2205 Þis Nembrot..was..gret werrur; Reuer [Trin. Cambr. Robber], and man-queller. c1475 (?c1400) (1842) 77 (MED) Clerkis now are fals witnes aȝen þer lawis and þefis and refars. c1500 (?a1475) (1896) 688 (MED) Ther were..Robbers, reuers, rauenouse ryfelers. 1563 T. Sackville in W. Baldwin et al. (new ed.) Induct. xlii [Sleep] Reuer of sight, and yet in whom we see Thinges oft that tide. 1615 T. Jackson iv. viii. §2 [Bodies politic] the one hath reavers the other only plain thieves. a1682 F. Sempill Banishm. Poverty in J. Watson (1706) i. 12 We fear'd no Reavers for our Money, Nor Whilly-whaes to grip our Gear. 1721 J. Kelly 284 Reavers should not be Ruers. 1725 A. Ramsay iv. ii. 68 Carried by some Rever's Hand, Far frae his Wishes. a1801 R. Gall (1819) 10 The lintie mournfully Sabs sair aneath the rowan tree, To see her nest an' young anes a' By thoughtless reaver borne awa. 1846 W. Hamilton in T. Reid 890 (note) This paper is remarkable for the sagacity which tracks the footsteps of the literary reaver. 1892 12 Mar. 5/5 Royalist refugees, Jacobite conspirators,..and Cateran ‘reavers’ fill a full measure of excitement. 1936 11 53 Was that [which he saw] merely reavers, or was it men in wolf-shape? 1982 M. Z. Bradley iii. viii. 560 Now that there are no more Saxons to slay, I suppose our Companions must go against dragons and bandits and reavers. 2006 (Nexis) 9 Aug. It was only when James VI of Scotland inherited the crown of England did a single sovereign rule over the land of the reavers. β. c1380 (1879) 1798 (MED) Þov mayntenest þef [perh. read þes] reyuours her neȝ to þyn honde.a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus (BL Add.) f. 73v A riȝtful loord..p[u]ttiþ of robboures & reyuers.1525 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart II. xxiii There is nother Englyshe, nor French, nor robbers, nor reyvars, yt dothe them any hurte.γ. 1398 (1844) I. 211/1 Manslaerys reiferis brynneris [etc.].1489 (a1380) J. Barbour (Adv.) xix. 671 [The fisher] said, ‘Reiffar [1487 St John's Cambr. tratour] yow mon her out.’1553 I. 148 The said Capitane of Norame reiffar of the said fyscheing.a1578 R. Lindsay (1899) I. 66 To theif and reiver he was ane sicker targe.a1615 Balnagown MS in W. R. Baillie (1850) 11 Scap~thriftis, alias reivars and sorneris.1824 W. Scott II. xi. 249 Harry was none of your bold-speaking, ranting reivars.1880 J. McCarthy III. xxxii. 62 The chiefs of Oudh were reivers and bandits; the king was the head reiver and bandit.1924 N. Munro ix. 102 The rievers, spoiled in this way, in their turn, as they had spoiled Glen Lyon, hung about the inn.1954 Mar. 467 Security from robbers and rievers when traversing Badenoch and Rannoch.2003 (Nexis) 23 Sept. Police fear the reivers also used a sheepdog to herd..[the] sheep from Mealasta off the west coast of the Isle of Lewis during darkness.the mind > possession > taking > stealing or theft > robbery > piracy > [noun] > pirate society > travel > travel by water > one who travels by water or sea > sailor > types of sailor > [noun] > pirate 1434 in H. Nicolas (1835) IV. 194 (MED) Such robbers & revers by þe see of scippis, godes, or merchandises..shal be..arestid by..shirrefes. c1480 (a1400) St. Clement 305 in W. M. Metcalfe (1896) I. 382 Þare come in þe sithtware Reueris sayland. 1488 (c1478) Hary (Adv.) (1968–9) ix. l. 211 The best wer-man in se is ws beforn..The Rede Reffayr thai call him. 1592 in R. Pitcairn (1833) I. ii. 267 That nane..suffir or permitt ony Spanishe veshellis, Spanȝeartis, pyrottis, or revaris to have ressett..in ony of thair portis. 1610 in R. Pitcairn (1833) III. 100 Notorious pirattis, revearis and sea-robberis..lowsed af Ireland, in this schip. 1722 W. Hamilton ix. i The Reaver's Barge came then closs by their Side. 1791 J. Learmont 48 Their reifers sail, wi' mony loads O'half stealt tea. 1824 J. Hogg ii. 77 The stars were sprinkled o'er the night, With goggling and uncertain light, As if eventful watch to keep, Over these reavers of the deep. 1953 K. M. Briggs Gloss. 201 Some think him the ghost of a reiver who died bearing a secret of undisclosed treasure, and so could not rest. 2006 (Nexis) 14 Sept. It revels in the pirate image, sailing..under a grinning Jolly Roger... The good ship Ocean and her veteran crew are also the most cunning of reavers. Compoundsc1485 ( G. Hay (1993) iii. 23 A traytour thef or revare knycht. 1488 (c1478) Hary (Adv.) (1968–9) vi. l. 381 Than Wallace thus began to dyt in hast: ‘Thow [sc. Edward I] reyffar king [etc.].’ 1729 J. Harvey ii. 63 The royal Guest His great Ancestors ancient Pavement prest: There found his Brother..and the Reaver-Knight. 1832 A. Cunningham iv. xxxii. 65 The reaver-ship sailed from their sight, but still They stood till darkness grew to silver gray. 1864 J. C. Atkinson 292 A gun might warn the reiver crow to be less audacious. 1992 G. M. Fraser 24 The lying-up perhaps in a ruined temple at what seemed the back of beyond, the feeling of being part of a reiver foray—the section seemed somehow easier, if not happier, at that kind of work. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2009; most recently modified version published online March 2022). < n.eOE |