Emily Dickinson Lexicon

RIVE, v.t. [pret. rived; pp. rived or riven. Dan. revner, to split; river, to pluck off or away, to rake; Sw. rifva, to pull asunder, to burst or rend, to rake, to tear; Ice. rifa, Sw. refva, a chink or crevice; Fr. crever, whence crevasse, crevice; Russ. rvu; allied to L. rumpo, rupi. It may be allied to the family of L. rapio, reap, rip.]

To split; to cleave; to rend asunder by force; as, to rive timber for rails or shingles with wedges; the riven oak; the riven clouds. – Dryden. Milton. The scolding winds / Have riv'd the knotty oaks. – Shak.