Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Bereave
Be-reave′
(bē̍-rēv′)
, Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Bereaved
(bē̍-rēvd′)
, Bereft
(bē̍-rĕft′)
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Bereaving.
] 1.
To make destitute; to deprive; to strip; – with of before the person or thing taken away.
Madam, you have
bereft
me of all words. Shakespeare
Bereft
of him who taught me how to sing. Tickell.
2.
To take away from.
[Obs.]
All your interest in those territories
Is utterly
Is utterly
bereft
you; all is lost. Shakespeare
3.
To take away.
[Obs.]
Shall move you to
bereave
my life. Marlowe.
☞ The imp. and past pple. form bereaved is not used in reference to immaterial objects. We say bereaved or bereft by death of a relative, bereft of hope and strength.
Syn. – To dispossess; to divest.
Webster 1828 Edition
Bereave
BERE'AVE
,Verb.
T.
1.
To deprive; to strip; to make destitute; with of before the thing taken away. Me have ye bereaved of my children. Gen.42.
It is sometimes used without of, and is particularly applied to express the loss of friends by death.
2.
To take away from.Definition 2024
bereave
bereave
English
Verb
bereave (third-person singular simple present bereaves, present participle bereaving, simple past and past participle bereaved or bereft)
- (transitive) To deprive by or as if by violence; rob; strip.
- (transitive) To take away by destroying, impairing, or spoiling; take away by violence.
- (transitive) To deprive of power; prevent.
- (transitive) To take away someone or something that is important or close; deprive.
- Death bereaved him of his wife.
- The castaways were bereft of hope.
- (intransitive, rare) To destroy life; cut off.
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
To take away someone or something important or close