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Rift vs Raft - What's the difference?

rift | raft |

In intransitive terms the difference between rift and raft

is that rift is to form a rift while raft is to travel by raft.

In transitive terms the difference between rift and raft

is that rift is to cleave; to rive; to split while raft is to make into a raft.

rift

English

(wikipedia rift)

Etymology 1

Middle English, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Danish/Norwegian '' 'breach', Old Norse ''rífa 'to tear'. More at rive.

Noun

(en noun)
  • A chasm or fissure.
    • My marriage is in trouble, the fight created a rift between us and we can't reconnect.
    The Grand Canyon is a rift in the Earth's surface, but is smaller than some of the undersea ones.
  • A break in the clouds, fog, mist etc., which allows light through.
  • * 1931 , William Faulkner, Sanctuary , Vintage 1993, page 130:
    • I have but one rift in the darkness, that is that I have injured no one save myself by my folly, and that the extent of that folly you will never learn.
  • A shallow place in a stream; a ford.

    • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To form a .
  • To cleave; to rive; to split.
    • to rift an oak
  • * Wordsworth
    • To dwell these rifted rocks between.

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) rypta.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To belch.

    • Etymology 3

    Verb

    (head)
    • (Spenser)

    Anagrams

    * * ----

    raft

    English

    (wikipedia raft)

    Etymology 1

    From Scandinavian; compare West (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A flat structure made of planks, barrels etc., that floats on water, and is used for transport, emergencies or a platform for swimmers.
  • A flat-bottomed inflatable craft for floating or drifting on water.
  • A thick crowd of seabirds or sea mammals.
  • (US) A collection of logs, fallen trees, etc. which obstructs navigation in a river.
  • (slang, informal) A large collection of people or things taken indiscriminately.
  • * W. D. Howells
    • a whole raft of folks
    Derived terms
    * life raft

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • to convey on a raft
  • to make into a raft
  • to travel by raft

    • Related terms

    * rafter * whitewater rafting

    Etymology 2

    Alteration of (raff).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A large (but unspecified) number, a lot.
  • * 2007 , Edwin Mullins, The Popes of Avignon , Blue Bridge 2008, p. 31:
    • Among those arrested was the grand master himself, Jacques de Molay, who found himself facing a raft of charges based on the specious evidence of former knights [...].

    Etymology 3

    Verb

    (head)
  • (reave)
    • (Spenser)

    Anagrams

    * * * * ----