raven

Etymology

Definitions

1. 1

   Any of several, generally large, species of birds in the genus Corvus with lustrous black…

   Any of several, generally large, species of birds in the genus Corvus with lustrous black plumage; especially the common raven (Corvus corax).

   • Some ſay that Rauens foſter forlorne children, / The vvhilſt their ovvne birds famiſh in their neſts: / Oh be to me though thy hard hart ſay no, / Nothing ſo kinde but ſomething pittifull.
   • [T]he Danes bare in their Enſigne a Raven vvrought (by report) in needle-vvorke, by the daughters of Lothbroke that is, Leather-breech, […]
2. 2

   A person who brings bad news or makes pessimistic predictions.

   • Ric[hard]. Novv y'ave ſpoke it halfe; 'tis ſinking I muſt treate of; / Your ſhips are all ſunke. / […] / M[istress] Foſt[er]. O thou fatall Raven; Let me pull thine eyes out for this / Sad croake.
   • Some ravens have alvvays indeed croaked out this kind of ſong. They have a malignant delight in preſaging miſchief vvhen they are not employed in doing it: they are miſerable and diſapointed at every inſtance of the public proſperity.
3. 3

   Of the jet-black and often glossy colour of the plumage of a raven (etymology 1, noun…

   Of the jet-black and often glossy colour of the plumage of a raven (etymology 1, noun sense 1).

   • Near-synonyms: ebony, onyx
   • raven curls    raven darkness
   • She was a tall, sophisticated, raven-haired beauty.
4. ›+ 6 more definitionsshow fewer

   1. 4

      Alternative spelling of ravin.

   2. 5

      A surname.

      • William King, Daniel Giles, and Samuel Raven, the other defendants in the bill named, who were described as the trustees nominated by the parties, of the fifth part.
      • Mr. F. Haydon said he was an undertaker at Stockwell. He conducted the funeral of W. Raven, the registry of whose death was proved by Mr. Booth
      • Several senior railway engineers reached the IMechE pinnacle of being appointed president: Sir Vincent Raven (1912), [...].
   3. 6

      A female given name from English for a girl with raven hair, used since the 1970s.

      • I want you to do a background check on a woman named Raven Anderson. Waist-length black hair, violet eyes, tall, striking. Late twenties, I'd say.
      • Raven-Symoné and Anneliese van der Pol will reprise their roles as best friends Raven Baxter and Chelsea Daniels.
   4. 7

      A male given name.

      • Raven Allen — Originally from the Zone, he becomes a member of the Psi:Ko when he is kidnapped with his brothers by trackers.
   5. 8

      A place name

      A place name:

   6. 9

      Synonym of Corvus (“a constellation of the southern sky south of the constellation Virgo,…

      Synonym of Corvus (“a constellation of the southern sky south of the constellation Virgo, said to resemble a crow”).

The neighborhood

• neighborunkindness
• neighborAustralian ravencorvids
• neighborbrown-necked ravencorvids
• neighborChatham ravencorvids
• neighborChihuahuan ravencorvids
• neighborcommon ravencorvids
• neighbordwarf ravencorvids
• neighborfan-tailed ravencorvids
• neighborforest ravencorvids
• neighborIcelandic ravencorvids
• neighborlittle ravencorvids
• neighborNew Zealand ravencorvids