bereave

== English == === Etymology === Inherited from Middle English bireven, from Old English berēafian (“to bereave, deprive of, take away, seize, rob, despoil”), from Proto-Germanic *biraubōną, and Old English berēofan (“to bereave, deprive, rob of”); both equivalent to be- +‎ reave. Cognate with Dutch beroven (“to rob, deprive, bereave”), German berauben (“to deprive, rob, bereave”), Danish berøve (“to deprive of”), Norwegian berøve (“to deprive”), Swedish beröva (“to rob”), Gothic 𐌱𐌹𐍂𐌰𐌿𐌱𐍉𐌽 (biraubōn). === Pronunciation === (UK, US) IPA(key): /bɪˈɹiːv/ Rhymes: -iːv === Verb === bereave (third-person singular simple present bereaves, present participle bereaving, simple past and past participle bereaved or bereft) (transitive) To deprive by or as if by violence; to rob; to strip. (transitive, obsolete) To take away by destroying, impairing, or spoiling; take away by violence. (transitive) To deprive of power; prevent. (transitive) To take away someone or something that is important or close; deprive. (intransitive, rare) To destroy life; cut off. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== reave ==== Translations ====