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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Benjamin Olson" data-source="post: 8125380" data-attributes="member: 6988941">I have the unabridged 2nd edition Oxford English Dictionary on my computer (you know, that ridiculous 20 volume dictionary that gets a whole bookcase at the library reference section). It does have an actual full entry for the derivative noun "reaver" rather than just a note under the verb "reave". To wit:reaver, reiver(ˈriːvə(r)) Forms: α. 1 réafere, (hréaf-, réof-), 2–3 ræuere, (3 -are), 2–4 reuere, 4–5 reuour, 4–6 reu-, rever, 5–6 Sc. reu-, revar(e, 6–7 reauer, 6– reaver. Also 4 refar, 5 Sc. reffayr. β. 4 reyuour, 6 reyvar. γ. Sc. 5–6 reiffar, 6 reifar, 7 reivar, 6, 9 reiver, 9 riever. [OE. réafere, agent-n. f. réafian to reave v.1 = OFris. râvere, MDu. rover (Du. roover), MLG. rôver, OHG. roubari (MHG. roubære, rouber, G. räuber, †rauber). MSw. rövare (Sw. röfvare), MDa. rövere (Da. röver), and Icel. raufari (13th c.), reyfari (c 1400) are from MLG. rôver: see note to reave v.1, and cf. Eng. rover.    In mod. use the normal Eng. spelling reaver is less usual than the Sc. reiver (or riever), brought into literary use by Scott.] 1.1 A robber or plunderer; a marauder, raider. Occas. with of. Also transf. or fig. α    c 888 K. Ælfred Boeth. xxxvii. §4 ᴁif þu on hwilcum men onᴁitst þæt he bið ᴁitsere & reafere.    c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Luke xxii. 52 Suæ to hreafere [Rushw. reofere] ᴁie cuomon mið suordum.    c 1000 Ælfric Hom. II. 330 Sceaðan & reaferas, oððe reðe manslaᴁan.    c 1154 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1137 Al þe tunscipe fluᴁæn for heom, wenden ðæt hi wæron ræueres.    c 1230 Hali Meid. 29 Þeoues hit stelen ham, reaueres hit robbeð.    a 1300 Cursor M. 2205 Þer wit was he [Nimrod]‥Reuer and man-queller gret.    c 1400 Apol. Loll. 77 Clerkis now are fals witnes aȝen þer lawis, & þefis, & refars, & fals intrewsars.    c 1440 Gesta Rom. lxix. 386 (Add. MS.) The prophete seith, wo shall be Robbers and revers of pore mennes goodes.    1559 Sackville Induct. Mirr. Mag. xlii, [Sleep] Reuer of sight, and yet in whom we see Thinges oft that tide.    1583 T. Stocker Civ. Warres Lowe C. i. 6 b, The reauers and robbers of all churches and images.    1615 Jackson Creed iv. viii. §2 [Bodies politic] the one hath reavers the other only plain thieves.    1721 Kelly Scot. Prov. 284 Reavers should not be Ruers.    1846 Sir W. Hamilton Diss. in Reid's Wks. 890 note, This paper is remarkable for the sagacity which tracks the footsteps of the literary reaver.β    c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 1798 For þov mayntenest þef reyuours,‥To gon aboute & robby ous.    1525 Ld. Berners Froiss. II. xxiii, There is nother Englyshe, nor French, nor robbers, nor reyvars, yt dothe them any hurte.γ    1479 Barbour's Bruce xiv. 441 (Edin. MS.) The fyscher‥said, ‘Reiffar, thow mon her out’.    1553 Reg. Privy Council Scot. I. 148 The said Capitane of Norame reiffar of the said fyscheing.    a 1578 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 66 To theif and reiver he was ane sicker targe.    a 1615 Brieue Cron. Erlis Ross (1850) 11 Scap⁓thriftis, alias reivars and sorneris.    1725 Ramsay Gentle Sheph. iv. ii, Carried by some reiver's hand, Far frae his wishes.    1824 Scott Redgauntlet ch. xi, Harry was none of your bold-speaking, ranting reivers.    1880 McCarthy Own Times III. xxxii. 62 The chiefs of Oudh were reivers and bandits; the king was the head reiver and bandit.attrib.    1864 J. C. Atkinson Stanton Grange 292 A gun might warn the reiver crow to be less audacious.†2.2 A pirate, sea-robber (cf. sea-reaver). Obs.    c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xxi. (Clement) 305 Þare come in þe sithtware Reueris sayland.    1436 Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 164 The commodytes of Pety Brytayne, wyth here revers on the see.    c 1470 Henry Wallace ix. 87 The best wer man in se is ws beforn,‥The Rede Reffayr thai call him.</blockquote>

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