Reave

Reave is an English verb with the sense of plundering, raiding, or taking property by force. It is primarily found in historical, archaic, or literary contexts, rather than in everyday modern usage. The derived noun form, reave or reaving, refers to the act of plundering or the raid itself.

Etymology of reave is not completely settled in popular dictionaries, but it is widely understood to have Germanic roots and to be related to older terms denoting taking by force. The word appears in Middle English texts and has persisted mainly as a literary or historical word, occasionally appearing in fantasy or period fiction to evoke a medieval or frontier setting.

Usage notes and sense distinctions:

- Reave carries a stronger, more violent connotation than some synonyms like seize or take; it emphasizes force and disruption, often as part of a raid or sack.

- In contemporary writing, reave is usually confined to historical narration, chronicles of warfare, or stylized prose rather than modern speech.

- The verb can be transitive, as in reaving goods from a village, or intransitive in some older formulations masking the object.

In summary, reave is an archaic or literary term for plundering or raiding, connected to historical modes of warfare and used today mainly for period accuracy or stylistic effect. Related concepts include raiding, looting, and sackings in historical contexts.