Etymology: Apparently partly an alteration of raphe n.¹ (probably after Middle French rave root vegetable, turnip: see below), and partly < Middle French rave root vegetable, turnip (c1393; earlier in Anglo-Norman as rabe (13th cent.); French rave ) < classical Latin rāpa rape n.⁵ Compare earlier raphane n., Raphanus n. Compare also earlier rape n.⁵In the 16th cent. Middle French rave turnip apparently merged with a shortened form of Anglo-Norman and Old French ravene radish (12th cent.; earlier as rafne (end of the 11th cent. in Rashi) < classical Latin raphanus Raphanus n.). The English examples from the translation of Palladius may illustrate a similar development in English, or they may imply an earlier date for the French merger. Compare Old French rabe, apparently in sense ‘radish’ (end of the 12th cent. in an apparently isolated attestation).

Etymology: Probably a variant of rathe n.² For the likely phonetic development compare forms in v at rathe adj.¹, maythe n., and lather v. Alternatively, in spite of the chronology, rathe n.² could show a variant of this word: compare e.g. nathe n., sythe n.

Etymology: < rave v.¹

Etymology: Probably < Anglo-Norman raever and an apparently unattested Old French *raver (suggested by raverie (13th cent.), variant of reverie reverie n.; compare also Middle French (Lorraine) raver (1491 in sense ‘to wander about in disguise (during a carnival)’) and French regional (chiefly north-eastern) raver ), variant of Anglo-Norman rever, Anglo-Norman and Old French resver (Middle French rever , French rêver ) to be mad, to behave as if delirious (first half of the 12th cent.), to wander in one's mind (1212), to (physically) wander about (1230), to dream (17th cent.), of uncertain origin; perhaps ultimately < re- re- prefix + the reflex of an unattested post-classical Latin *exvagare to wander, roam (compare classical Latin ēvagārī evague v.) < classical Latin ex- ex- prefix¹ + vagāri to wander (see vagant adj.). Compare later rave v.² and the Germanic forms cited at that entry.An alternative derivation of the French word ultimately < classical Latin rabere (see rabies n.) poses phonological problems.

Etymology: Origin uncertain, perhaps the same word as rave v.¹, or perhaps a borrowing < early Scandinavian: compare Icelandic ráfa to wander, roam (17th cent.), Norwegian (Nynorsk) rava to wander, to be delirious, apparently < the same Germanic base as Middle Dutch reven to talk nonsense, babble, to be mad (compare Dutch revelen ), Middle Low German rēven to be mad or delirious, Middle High German reben to move about, to dream, to be confused (perhaps compare German regional (Swiss) räbeln to make loud noise), all probably < the same Indo-European base as Early Irish reb game, play, exploit (Irish reabh trick, feat; now literary), although perhaps influenced in sense by Middle French rever rave v.¹ Compare later rove v.² II.

Etymology: Apparently < rave, past tense of rive v.¹ Compare reave v.³