rivet

[ riv-it ]

See synonyms for: rivet riveted riveting riveter on Thesaurus.com

noun

a metal pin for passing through holes in two or more plates or pieces to hold them together, usually made with a head at one end, the other end being hammered into a head after insertion.

verb (used with object),riv·et·ed, riv·et·ing.

to fasten with a rivet or rivets.
to hammer or spread out the end of (a pin, bolt, etc.) in order to form a head and secure something; clinch.

to fasten or fix firmly.
to hold (the eye, attention, etc.) firmly.

Origin of rivet

First recorded in 1350–1400; (noun) Middle English revette, rivette, from Old French rivet, derivative of river “to attach”; (verb) Middle English revetten, derivative of the noun

Other words from rivet

riv·et·er, noun
riv·et·less, adjective
un·riv·et·ing, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use rivet in a sentence

As with that earlier book, he rivets the reader to a plot of jarring contradictions.
A Witness to Hitler's Rise | Zachary Shore | May 27, 2011 | THE DAILY BEAST
Looked at in closeup, it reveals a row of popped rivets, with one rivet still partially stuck in place.
Picking Up Pieces From a Midair Explosion | Clive Irving | June 14, 2009 | THE DAILY BEAST
Then the rivets were cut out similarly at the other point of contrary flexure and the joint opened.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Part 3 | Various
For compression members the shearing area of rivets in butt-joints was made half the useful section of plate in compression.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Part 3 | Various
In like manner the height KP of the conical head may be marked off on all rivets of the same diameter with conical heads.
An Introduction to Machine Drawing and Design | David Allan Low

The boilers are of the Navy type, made throughout of Siemens-Martin steel plates, riveted with steel rivets, all holes drilled.
Scientific American Supplement No. 299 | Various
It is somewhat difficult to explain this ingenious arrangement in words, but Fig. 27 will show how the straps and rivets are set.
Armour & Weapons | Charles John Ffoulkes

British Dictionary definitions for rivet

rivet

/ (ˈrɪvɪt) /

noun

a short metal pin for fastening two or more pieces together, having a head at one end, the other end being hammered flat after being passed through holes in the pieces

verb-ets, -eting or -eted (tr)

to join by riveting
to hammer in order to form into a head

(often passive) to cause to be fixed or held firmly, as in fascinated attention, horror, etc: to be riveted to the spot

Origin of rivet

C14: from Old French, from river to fasten, fix, of unknown origin

Derived forms of rivet

riveter, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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