ra·ven¹ (rā'vən)
n.
A large bird (Corvus corax) having black plumage and a croaking cry.

adj.
Black and shiny: raven tresses.

[Middle English, from Old English hræfn.]

rav·en² (răv'ən)

v., -ened, -en·ing, -ens.

v.tr.

1. To consume greedily; devour.
2. To seek or seize as prey or plunder.

v.intr.

1. To seek or seize prey or plunder.
2. To eat ravenously.

n.
Variant of ravin.

[From Middle English ravin, raven, rapine, plunder, prey. See ravin.]

ravener rav'en·er n.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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