bereave

Meaning

1. To deprive by or as if by violence; to rob; to strip; to benim.
2. (obsolete) To take away by destroying, impairing, or spoiling; take away by violence.
3. To deprive of power; prevent.
4. To take away someone or something that is important or close; deprive.
5. To destroy life; cut off.

Synonyms

deprive

take away

destitute

dispossess

foray

forfeit

give up

harry

heist

hold up

loot

lose

mug

pirate

plunder

raid

ransack

reave

rip off

rob

snatch

snatch from

stick up

strip

widow

carry off

deprive of

debar

Pronounced as (IPA)

/bɪˈɹiːv/

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).