rive

UK: /raɪv/ US: (rīv)

Inflections of 'rive' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

rives

v 3rd person singular

riving

v pres p

rived

v past

rived

v past p

riven

v past p

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

rive  (rīv), v., rived, rived or riv•en, riv•ing. 
v.t. 

1. to tear or rend apart:
   to rive meat from a bone.
2. to separate by striking;
   split;
   cleave.
3. to rend, harrow, or distress (the feelings, heart, etc.).
4. Building to split (wood) radially from a log.

v.i. 
5. to become rent or split apart:
   stones that rive easily.
• Old Norse rīfa to tear, split. See rift
• Middle English riven 1225–75

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

rive / raɪv/ verb (rives, riving, rived, rived, riven / ˈrɪv^ən/)(usually passive)

1. to split asunder: a tree riven by lightning
2. to tear apart: riven to shreds

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old Norse rīfa; related to Old Frisian rīva