• n. 掠夺，劫掠；大乌鸦
• adj. 乌黑的
• vt. 掠夺；狼吞虎咽
• vi. 掠夺；狼吞虎咽
• n. (Raven)人名；(英)雷文；(德)拉文

来自古英语 hraefn,渡鸦，大乌鸦，来自 PIE*ker,尖叫声，拟声词，词源同 crow,crane.

来自古法语 raviner,抢劫，来自拉丁语 rapina,抢劫，掠夺，来自 rapere,抓走，夺走，词源同 rape,ravish.后引申词义饥饿，狼吞虎咽。

raven

raven: English has two separate words raven. The bird-name [OE] is a general Germanic term, related to German rabe, Dutch raaf, and Danish ravn. It goes back to a prehistoric Germanic *khrabnaz or *khraben, which originated in an imitation of the raven’s harsh croaking. The verb raven ‘prey, plunder’ [15], nowadays encountered virtually only in its present participle ravening and the derived ravenous, goes back ultimately to Latin rapere ‘seize by force’.
=> rape, rapture, ravenous

raven (n.)

Old English hr?fn (Mercian), hrefn; hr?fn (Northumbrian, West Saxon), from Proto-Germanic *khrabanaz (cognates: Old Norse hrafn, Danish ravn, Dutch raaf, Old High German hraban, German Rabe "raven," Old English hroc "rook"), from PIE root *ker- (2), imitative of harsh sounds (cognates: Latin crepare "to creak, clatter," cornix "crow," corvus "raven;" Greek korax "raven," korone "crow;" Old Church Slavonic kruku "raven;" Lithuanian krauklys "crow").

Raven mythology shows considerable homogeneity throughout the whole area [northern regions of the northern hemisphere] in spite of differences in detail. The Raven peeps forth from the mists of time and the thickets of mythology, as a bird of slaughter, a storm bird, a sun and fire bird, a messenger, an oracular figure and a craftsman or culture hero. [Edward A. Armstrong, "The Folklore of Birds," 1958]

Old English also used hr?mn, hremm. The raven standard was the flag of the Danish Vikings. The Quran connects the raven with Cain's murder of Abel; but in Christianity the bird plays a positive role in the stories of St. Benedict, St. Paul the Hermit, St. Vincent, etc. It was anciently believed to live to great old age, but the ancients also believed it wanting in parental care. The vikings, like Noah, were said to have used the raven to discover land. "When uncertain of their course they let one loose, and steered the vessel in his track, deeming that the land lay in the direction of his flight; if he returned to the ship, it was supposed to be at a distance" [Charles Swainson, "The Folk Lore and Provincial Names of British Birds," London, 1886].

1. Outside, a raven cawed.

外面，一只渡鸦尖叫了一声。

来自柯林斯例句

2. The picture shows a dreamy, raven-haired young woman.

这幅画描绘了一个漂亮的、有着乌黑头发的年轻女子。

来自柯林斯例句

3. Her charming face was framed with raven hair.

她迷人的脸上垂落着乌亮的黑发.

来自《简明英汉词典》

4. The symbols of Apollo were the wolf, swan, raven, stag, dolphin, laurel, and lyre.

阿波罗的象征物是狼 、 天鹅 、 渡鸦 、 雄鹿 、 海豚 、 桂冠和竖琴.

来自神话部分

5. Poor Jem! His raven hair, was that too to have its influence against him?

可怜的杰姆! 连他那乌黑的头发, 都会叫人对他发生恶感 吗 ?

来自辞典例句