rave

Etymology 1

From Middle English raven (“to rave; talk like a madman”), from Old French raver, variant of resver, of uncertain origin. Compare rove.

noun

1. An enthusiastic review (such as of a play).
   The first-night audience, yes. The first-night reviewers, not exactly. The notices have so far been mixed, only The Financial Times having delivered itself of an unequivocal rave. 1989, The New York Times Theater Reviews, 1920-, volume 18, page 167
2. An all-night dance party with electronic dance music (techno, trance, drum and bass etc.) and possibly drug use.
3. (music, uncountable) The genres of electronic dance music usually associated with rave parties.
   Maybe I wear baggies / And white socks with flip-flops / Maybe I don't like listening to rave / And I'm not on the social mountaintops 2009, Chrysalis Experiential Academy, Mind Harvesting, page 109

verb

1. To wander in mind or intellect; to be delirious; to talk or act irrationally; to be wild, furious, or raging.
2. To speak or write wildly or incoherently.
3. To talk with unreasonable enthusiasm or excessive passion or excitement; followed by about, of, or (formerly) on.
   He raved about her beauty.
4. (obsolete) To rush wildly or furiously.
5. (intransitive) To attend a rave (dance party).
   The situation with Tommy's parents made me grateful my parents hadn't caught on to my partying that summer. How had I gotten away with raving every weekend, and sometimes on Thursday nights too? 2021, Samantha Durbin, Raver Girl: Coming of Age in the 90s

Etymology 2

English dialect raves, or rathes (“a frame laid on a wagon, for carrying hay, etc.”).

noun

1. One of the upper side pieces of the frame of a wagon body or a sleigh.

Etymology 3

verb

1. (obsolete) simple past of rive