Subscriber login


Forgot your password?

Library card login

Other

rave1

Syllabification: (rave)
Pronunciation: /rāv/

Translate rave | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of rave

verb

[no object]
  • 1talk wildly or incoherently, as if one were delirious or insane:Nancy’s having hysterics and raving about a black ghost
  • address someone in an angry, uncontrolled way: [with direct speech]:“Never mind how he feels!” Melissa raved
  • 2speak or write about someone or something with great enthusiasm or admiration:New York’s theater critics raved about the acting
  • 3 informal attend or take part in a rave (party).

noun

  • 1 informal an extremely enthusiastic recommendation or appraisal of someone or something:the film has won raves from American reviewers [as modifier]:their recent tour received rave reviews
  • 2 informal a lively party or gathering involving dancing and drinking:their annual fancy-dress rave
  • a party or event attended by large numbers of young people, involving drug use and dancing to fast, electronic music.
  • electronic dance music of the kind played at a rave.

Origin:

Middle English (in the sense 'show signs of madness'): probably from Old Northern French raver; related obscurely to (Middle) Low German reven 'be senseless, rave'

rave in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of rave in the British & World English dictionary
  |  Cite

Word of the day

offing

/ ˈɒfɪŋ /
noun
the more distant part of the sea in view …