ravine
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of ravine
1400–50; late Middle English < Middle French: torrent, Old French: a violent rushing; see raven 2
Explanation
In a Western, outlaws will lie in wait at the top of a ravine, or narrow valley, until they see a traveler entering at the bottom. Then, the outlaws will come pounding down the ravine's steep sides. Ravines can be lonely and violent places averse to settlement as nothing can be built along their steep sides. The word ravine itself derives from the archaic rapin, which is a violent seizure of property. During times of heavy rains and snow melt, a ravine may be filled with violent, rushing water.
Vocabulary lists containing ravine
"The Ravine," Vocabulary from the short story
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Unit 4: Powerful Openings
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"The Ravine" by Graham Salisbury
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Maybe the buyers are huge Ohtani fans who live in, say, Japan and can’t quite make it out to Chavez Ravine to add to their collection of memorabilia.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026
A plan to construct an estimated half-billion-dollar, 1.2-mile gondola from Union Station through Chinatown into Chavez Ravine by former Dodgers owner Frank McCourt took its first steps toward reality.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 10, 2026
They can’t be so insulated that they don’t notice the protests in city streets that resemble those near Chavez Ravine.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 6, 2026
Russo then proceeded to list the reasons players gravitate to Chavez Ravine: “Play in L.A. Winning team. Great organization. Good weather. Have a chance to be in the World Series every year.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 16, 2026
Mount Washington is the most popular summit in the White Mountains, and the Tuckerman Ravine Trail, our chosen route, is the most popular trail up.
From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
