ravishing

[rav-i-shing] /ˈræv ɪ ʃɪŋ/
adjective
1.
extremely beautiful or attractive; enchanting; entrancing.
Origin
1300-50; Middle English; see ravish, -ing1
Related forms
ravishingly, adverb
Can be confused
ravenous, ravaging, ravishing (see synonym study at ravenous)

ravish

[rav-ish] /ˈræv ɪʃ/
verb (used with object)
1.
to fill with strong emotion, especially joy.
2.
to seize and carry off by force.
3.
to carry off (a woman) by force.
4.
to rape (a woman).
Origin
1250-1300; Middle English ravishen < Middle French raviss-, long stem of ravir to seize ≪ Latin rapere; see rape1
Related forms
ravishedly, adverb
ravisher, noun
unravished, adjective
Can be confused
ravage, ravish.
Synonyms
1. enrapture, transport, enthrall, delight, captivate.
Examples from the web for ravishing
  • She is an attractive forty-five-year-old who could, if she dedicated time to herself instead of her work, be ravishing.
  • NO one needs to convince me there is a ton of fabulous winter squash out there, ravishing in hue, shape and surface texture.
  • The resulting photographs are both provocatively blunt and visually ravishing.
  • ravishing as it is, this is a good price for a work painted in gouache on silk laid down on paper, a fragile support and medium.
  • And there is also that ravishing little gold-mounted amethyst brooch clasped across a light scarf.
  • The country beauty looked ravishing in a red dress that tied demurely at the neck.
  • From across the pond comes a ravishing collection of scientific imagery.
  • She was ravishing in her tailored jackets and argyle socks.
  • She kneels and prays, tormented only for a moment before breaking out in the ravishing smile of complete acceptance.
  • The ravishing cinematography and simple moral precepts tap universal responses to beauty and truth.
British Dictionary definitions for ravishing

ravishing

/ˈrævɪʃɪŋ/
adjective
1.
delightful; lovely; entrancing
Derived Forms
ravishingly, adverb

ravish

/ˈrævɪʃ/
verb (transitive)
1.
(often passive) to give great delight to; enrapture
2.
to rape
3.
(archaic) to carry off by force
Derived Forms
ravisher, noun
ravishment, noun
Word Origin
C13: from Old French ravir, from Latin rapere to seize
Word Origin and History for ravishing
n.

"act of plundering," c.1300, verbal noun from ravish (v.).

adj.

mid-14c., "ravenous;" early 15c., "enchanting;" present participle adjective from ravish (v.). The figurative notion is of "carrying off from earth to heaven." Related: Ravishingly.

ravish

v.

c.1300, "to seize (someone) by violence, carry (a person, especially a woman) away," from Old French raviss-, present participle stem of ravir "to seize, take away hastily," from Vulgar Latin *rapire, from Latin rapere "to seize and carry off, carry away suddenly, hurry away" (see rapid). Meaning "to commit rape upon" is recorded from mid-15c. Related: Ravished; ravishing.