raven

Pluralravens

Formsravens, ravening, ravened

1. 1
   black birdnouncountable

   A large, shiny black bird that looks like a big crow and has a thick beak.

   Like a crow, but bigger and shinier.

   A big black raven sat on the old fence and croaked.

   Ravens often gather where food is easy to find.

   Note
2. 2
   a shade of blackadjective

   Deep, shiny black, like the feathers of a raven.

   Like the color of a black bird's shiny feathers.

   She had long raven hair that shone in the light.

   His raven curls fell across his forehead.

   UsageMostly used for hair: raven hair.

   Similarjet-black, ebony, black

3. 3
   a shade of blacknouncountable or uncountable

   A deep, shiny black, the color of a raven's feathers.

   Similarjet, ebony

   Note
4. 4
   verbliterarytransitive or intransitive

   To hunt and eat something hungrily, or attack in a greedy, violent way.

   I refer to the danger of keeping a dog of this nature and disposition in a bedroom, where it can spring out ravening on anyone who enters.

   1938, P.G. Woodhouse, The Code of the WoostersHere, ravening means attacking hungrily and violently.

   Similardevour, prey, gorge

   Note
5. 5
   verbliteraryintransitive

   To act greedy and keep wanting more and more of something.

   The Greek were-wolf is closely related to the vampire. The lycanthropist falls into a cataleptic trance, during which his soul leaves his body, enters that of a wolf and ravens for blood.

   1865, Sabine Baring-Gould, The Book of Were-WolvesHere, ravens means hungers greedily.

   Similarlust, hunger, crave

   Note

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