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rift - 9 dictionary results
rift
[rift]
–noun
| 1. | an opening made by splitting, cleaving, etc.; fissure; cleft; chink. |
| 2. | an open space, as in a forest or cloud mass, or a clear interval. |
| 3. | a break in friendly relations: a rift between two people; a rift between two nations. |
| 4. | a difference in opinion, belief, or interest that causes such a break in friendly relations. |
| 5. | Geology.
|
| 6. | the plane or direction along which a log or mass of granite can most easily be split. |
| 7. | wood or a piece of wood that has been split radially from a log. |
–verb (used with object), verb (used without object)
| 8. | to burst open; split. |
Origin:
1250–1300; ME < ON ript breaking of an agreement (cf. Dan, Norw rift cleavage), deriv. of rīfa to tear (c. rive )
1250–1300; ME < ON ript breaking of an agreement (cf. Dan, Norw rift cleavage), deriv. of rīfa to tear (c. rive )

Related forms:
riftless, adjective
Synonyms:
3. breach, rupture, estrangement, falling-out.
3. breach, rupture, estrangement, falling-out.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Link To rift
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Rift
Rift\, obs. p. p. of Rive. --Spenser.Rift
Rift\, v. i. 1. To burst open; to split. --Shak. Timber . . . not apt to rif with ordnance. --Bacon. 2. To belch. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.]
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : rift
Spanish:
hendedura, grieta,
German:
die Spalte,
Japanese:
裂け目
rift
c.1300, from a Scand. source (cf. Dan., Norw. rift "a cleft," O.Icel. ript (pronounced "rift") "breach;" related to O.N. ripa "to break a contract" (see riven).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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rift (rĭft) Pronunciation Key
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2009, Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.