rap-, rav- +

1. Voracity; rapaciousness.
2. Something taken as prey.
3. The act or practice of preying.
4. The act of violently seizing something (archaic or literary).

1. A deep narrow valley or gorge in the earth's surface worn by running water.
2. Etymology: from about 1760, "deep gorge" came from French ravin, "a gully".

In 1690, from Old French raviner, "to hollow out"; and from French ravine, "violent rush of water, gully".

From Old French ravine, "violent rush, robbery, rapine"; both ultimately from Latin rapina. This sense is influenced by Latin rapidus "rapid".

In Middle English, from about 1350-1500, ravine meant "booty, plunder, robbery"; from Latin rapina, "robbery, plunder"; from rapere, "to seize, to carry off, to rob".

1. To seize and to carry away by force.
2. To rape; to violate.
3. To overwhelm with emotion; to enrapture.
4. Etymologically from Middle English, "to seize and to take away by violence", from Middle French raviss-, stem of ravir; ultimately from Latin rapere "to seize, to rob".

1. Someone who assaults others sexually.
2. A very attractive or seductive looking woman.

1. To an extremity of delight.
2. In a ravishing manner or to a ravishing degree.

1. The act of seizing by force.
2. Violent removal; such as, the act of carrying someone away by force or against his/her consent; abduction.
3. The forcible abduction of a woman; and so, the crime of forcing a woman to submit to sexual intercourse against her will

The act or process of getting into a surreptitious manner, as by craft or stealth.

1. Obtained, done, made, etc., by stealth; secret or unauthorized; clandestine: "He made a surreptitious glance at the young woman."
2. Acting in a stealthy way.
3. Etymology: in about 1443, from Latin surrepticius, "stolen, furtive, secret, clandestine"; from surreptus, past participle of surripere, "to seize or to take away secretly, to steal".

The word is made up of two parts: sub "from under" ("secretly") plus rapere "to snatch, to seize".

In a surreptitious manner: "She was watching him surreptitiously as he waited in the hotel lobby."

1. Something which is obtained, done, or made by clandestine, secret, or stealthy means.
2. An action which is kept hidden from others or known only to oneself or to a few other people.

1. To seize and take control without authority and possibly with force; to take as one's right or possession.
2. To seize and hold (a position, office, power, etc.) by force or without legal right.
3. To take over or occupy without right: "He tried to usurp a neighbor's land."
4. To wrongfully seize another's place, authority, or possession.
5. To use without authority or right; employ wrongfully: "The magazine usurped copyrighted material."
6. Etymology: from Latin usurpare, "to get possession of, to acquire"; from usus, "use" and rapere, "to seize" (usu-rapos); then through Middle French usurper and via Middle English usurpen.

Usurping; encroaching.

To usurp.

1. Wrongfully seizing and holding (an office or powers) by force (especially the seizure of a throne or some other supreme authority).
2. Entry to another person's property without a legal right or permission.
3. To seize or to exercise authority or possession of something wrongfully.

1. Marked by usurpation; usurping.
2. An act of usurping; wrongful or illegal encroachment, infringement, or seizure.