ravin down
C1 formal separable transitive
In simple words
To eat something very fast and greedily, like a hungry animal.
Literal meaning: To seize and swallow prey downward, as a predatory animal does.
Meanings
1 C1 formal
To eat something extremely greedily and rapidly, like a predator consuming prey.
"The wolves ravined down the carcass before any other animal could approach."
Grammar: separable
2 C1
idiomatic
formal
To plunder or consume resources in a voracious, destructive manner.
"The invading army ravined down the countryside's stores, leaving nothing for the local people."
Grammar: separable
Usage notes
Highly archaic and literary. Derived from 'ravin' (also 'raven'), an old verb meaning to plunder or devour. Almost never used in modern spoken English. Encountered mainly in older poetry or literature. Not to be confused with the bird 'raven'.
Commonly used with
prey food flesh meal provisions
Forms
Base
ravin down
I/you/we/they
3rd person
ravins down
he/she/it
Past simple
ravined down
yesterday
Past participle
ravined down
have + pp
-ing form
ravining down
continuous
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Synonyms
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