c.1275, from O.Fr. robe "long, loose outer garment," originally "plunder, booty," from a Gmc. source (cf. O.H.G. rouba "vestments," presumably those taken from the enemy as spoils), from W.Gmc. *rauba, the stem that also yielded rob (v.). The verb is recorded from 1377. Metonymic sense of "the legal profession" is attested from 1647.
Reave\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Reaved, Reft, or Raft(obs.); p. pr. & vb. n. Reaving.] [AS. re['a]fian, from re['a]f spoil, plunder, clothing, re['o]fan to break (cf. bire['o]fan to deprive of); akin to G. rauben to rob, Icel. raufa to rob, rj[=u]fa to break, violate, Goth. bir['a]ubon to despoil, L. rumpere to break; cf. Skr. lup to break. [root]114. Cf. Bereave, Rob, v. t., Robe, Rove, v. t., Rupture.] To take away by violence or by stealth; to snatch away; to rob; to despoil; to bereave. [Archaic]. "To reave his life." --Spenser. He golden apples raft of the dragon. --Chaucer. By privy stratagem my life at home. --Chapman. To reave the orphan of his patrimony. --Shak. The heaven caught and reft him of his tongue. --Tennyson.
Rob\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Robbed; p. pr. & vb. n. Robbing.] [OF. rober, of German origin; cf. OHG. roub?n, G. rauben, and OHG. roub robbing, booty, G. raub. [root]114. See Reave,and cf. Robe.]1. To take (something) away from by force; to strip by stealing; to plunder; to pillage; to steal from. Who would rob a hermit of his weeds, His few books, or his beads, or maple dish? --Milton. He that is robbed, not wanting what is stolen, Let him not know it, and he's not robbed at all. --Shak. To be executed for robbing a church. --Shak. 2. (Law) To take the property of (any one) from his person, or in his presence, feloniously, and against his will, by violence or by putting him in fear. 3. To deprive of, or withhold from, unjustly or injuriously; to defraud; as, to rob one of his rest, or of his good name; a tree robs the plants near it of sunlight. I never robbed the soldiers of their pay. --Shak.
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Audio Help [rohb] Pronunciation Key noun, verb, robed, rob·ing. 
