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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Rave, Raif, v.¹ Also: rawe; raife, rayf, raiff; reive; reve; reave. [ME and e.m.E. raue (Chaucer), ONF raver, ‘rel. obscurely to (M)LG reven to be senseless, rave’ (ODEE).] To rave, in various senses.

1. intr. To be in a state of madness, delirium or mental confusion. c1475 Wall. xi 1295.
Thai wyll bot deym, I othir dreym or rawe 1581-1623 James VI Poems II 88/256.
And in the opening of a dreame Haue ather dream'd or reau'd

2. To behave or (chiefly) talk wildly, in consequence of madness, delirium, panic, or the like; to rave; to talk ecstatically, as in furor poeticus.Chiefly in verse.Also, once, to rave furght.(1) c1420 Wynt. vii 3452.
Yhe rawe [C. rayf], and tratelys all foly 1461 Liber Plusc. 384.
Quhy ravys thou, and thou man resonabile 1513 Doug. iv xi 20.
Quhat said I or quhar am I? Now thou ravys … , fey Dydo Ib. vi v 101.
Bot I wait neuer how Of hys answer twiching thé he ravyt a1570-86 Scott Maitl. F. 295/51.
Ȝe schoute … , Ȝe rave as ȝe war rent(b) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 118/93.
In faith I will na langar raif Id. Flyt. 255.
Put I nocht sylence to thé, schiphird knaif, And thow of new begynis to ryme and raif 1513 Doug. ix iii 162.
Thar lyfe is now in iuperte, thai raif 1540 Lynd. Sat. 3234 (Ch.).
Raife c1552 Id. Mon. 5137.
Thocht sum de naturally, throuch aige, Fer mo deis raiffand in one raige a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 794 (L).
Raiffit [Wr. rav'de](c) 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 137.
Captane Meluing … continowallie reaved … having a fever a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxiv 32.
Bereft of resone, reaving in a rage 1600-1610 Melvill 656.
Ye wreitt a lettre … quhairin wes … lytle guid of the king. … I trow ye was reavand or mad! … Ye speik utherwayis now Ib. 137. 1661 Red Bk. Grandtully II 163.
Reav'd(d) a1605 Montg. Flyt. 376 (T).
Ȝit still be thow reivand, bot rude of thy rymes(2) c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 481.
Sum raiffis [M. raveis] furght rudly with riatus speche

b. In weakened sense: To talk foolishly or absurdly; to talk nonsense.Freq., to rave unrokkit.(1) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 62/73.
The nychtingaill said, bird, quhy dois thow raif 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1689 (Ch.).
Put on ȝour hude, Johne Fule, ȝe raif 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3346.
Ȝe may now … persaif … how that ȝour py did raif 1564 Knox VI 541.
Thus with ws ravis Maddye every day; but heirupon I greatlie pans not a1585 Polwart Flyt. 680 (T).
Rob Stene, ȝe raif [H. ravis], forȝetting quhom ȝe mache 1603 Philotus 1246.
The wysest will in wowing raif(b) 1540 Lynd. Sat. Proclam. 230.
Ȝe reve, gudman, be Goddis breid(2) a1500 Henr. Fab. 2346.
Schir, be the rude, vnroikkit now ȝe raif 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4077.
Becaus thow raifis vnrockit a1605 Montg. Flyt. 802 (T).
Ȝe raif vnrokkit 1657 R. Moray Lett. fol. 64.
I would not mistake you though you wrote as they wont to talk that reaves unrockitt

3. tr. To utter (something) in a wild or foolish manner. a1568 Kennedy Bann. MS 268b/47.
All this I hard ane auld man raif [M. raiff] … Of mowth thankles 1535 Stewart 15562.
He said full suith and neuir ane word did rave