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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Bereave: Definition, Examples, and Usage Guide (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：Deprive of a loved one by death (bereave)

bereave 🔊

/bɪˈriːv/

vt.

To take away a loved one from someone, especially through death, leaving them in deep sorrow.

Bereave meaning: empty armchair and family photo convey loss by death

Deprive of a loved one by death 🔊

➕

/dɪˈpraɪv əv ə lʌvd wʌn baɪ dɛθ/

vt.

To take away a family member or close friend through death, causing intense sorrow.

📁 Category：Behaviors & Actions 🔖 Level：Advanced

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From be- (intensive) + reave (to plunder, from Old English rēafian).

💡 Mnemonic

Think 'be+reave' = be left grieving. Or 'be reaved' sounds like 'be reft' (deprived).

📖 Example

The sudden accident bereaved the young parents of their only child, leaving their home feeling unbearably empty. 🔊 The sudden accident bereaved the young parents of their only child, leaving their home feeling unbearably empty.

🔗 Collocations

be bereaved of a spouse – to lose a husband or wife through death

bereaved family – the family members of someone who has died

bereaved parents – parents who have lost a child

🔄 Synonyms

deprive (vt.) – to take something away from someone, but not necessarily by death

rob (vt.) – to take something from someone by force or theft; in a broader sense, to deprive

dispossess (vt.) – to deprive someone of property or a possession, often by legal action

🚫 Antonyms

bequeath (vt.) – to leave property or a right to someone by will

bestow (vt.) – to give something as a gift or honor

grant (vt.) – to agree to give something to someone

🌱 Derivatives

bereavement (n.) – the state of having lost a loved one through death

bereaved (adj.) – suffering the loss of a loved one

📖 Cultural Story

Bereave comes from Old English 'berēafian', meaning 'to deprive, take away by force'. It is related to 'rob' and 'reave'. The word has been used in English since the 12th century, often in the context of death.

Meaning 2：Deprive of something valuable (bereave)

bereave 🔊

/bɪˈriːv/

vt.

To take away something very important or valuable from someone, leaving them feeling a deep sense of loss.

Bereave example: hands on desk with retirement certificate showing loss of achievement

Deprive of something valuable 🔊

➕

/dɪˈpraɪv əv ˈsʌmθɪŋ ˈvæljuəbl/

vt.

To take away something essential or cherished, such as strength, hope, or rights, causing a deep sense of loss.

📁 Category：Behaviors & Actions 🔖 Level：Advanced

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

A long illness can bereave a person not only of their strength but also of their hope for the future. 🔊 A long illness can bereave a person not only of their strength but also of their hope for the future.

🔗 Collocations

bereave of hope – to take away someone's hope

bereave of rights – to deprive someone of their legal rights

bereave of dignity – to strip someone of their dignity

🔄 Synonyms

deprive (vt.) – to take something away from someone, especially something needed or wanted

strip (vt.) – to remove something from someone or something, often forcefully

divest (vt.) – to remove or take away something, such as property or authority

🚫 Antonyms

provide (vt.) – to give something needed or wanted to someone

supply (vt.) – to make something available to someone

endow (vt.) – to provide someone with a quality, ability, or asset

🌱 Derivatives

bereavement (n.) – the state of having lost something important

bereaved (adj.) – suffering the loss of something valuable