reif

Meaning

Noun

• Robbery.

Origin

• From Middle English ref, reaf, reif, from Old English rēaf ("plunder, spoil, booty, raiment, garment, robe, vestment, armor"), from Proto-West Germanic *raub, from Proto-Germanic *raubą, *raubaz, from Proto-Indo-European *Hrewp- ("to rip, tear").
• Cognate with Scots reif, rief, Saterland Frisian roowje ("loot, rob"), Dutch roof ("spoil, booty, robbery"), German Raub ("robbery, spoils, plunder"). See also reave, robe.