Rift

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ɹɪft/
• Rhymes: -ɪft

Middle English, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Danish/Norwegian rift 'breach', Old Norse rífa 'to tear'. More at rive.

Full definition of rift

Noun

1. A chasm or fissure.My marriage is in trouble, the fight created a rift between us and we can't reconnect.The Grand Canyon is a rift in the Earth's surface, but is smaller than some of the undersea ones.
2. A break in the clouds, fog, mist etc., which allows light through.
• 1931, William Faulkner, Sanctuary, Vintage 1993, p. 130:I have but one rift in the darkness, that is that I have injured no one save myself by my folly, and that the extent of that folly you will never learn.
3. A shallow place in a stream; a ford.

Verb

1. (intransitive) To form a rift.
2. (transitive) To cleave; to rive; to split.to rift an oak
• WordsworthTo dwell these rifted rocks between.

From Old Norse rypta.

Verb

1. (obsolete except Scotland and northern UK) To belch.

Verb

1. (obsolete) Past participle of rive

Anagrams

• frit
• FTIR