rift

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a gap between cloud masses

   the sun shone through a rift in the clouds

2. 2
   noun

   A chasm or fissure.

   The Grand Canyon is a rift in the Earth's surface, but is smaller than some of the undersea ones.

3. 3
   noun

   A lack of cohesion; a state of conflict, incompatibility, or emotional distance.

   My marriage is in trouble: the fight created a rift between us and we can't reconnect.

4. 4
   noun

   A break in the clouds, fog, mist etc., which allows light through.

   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.

5. 5
   verb

   To cleave; to rive; to split.

   to rift an oak

6. 6
   verb

   past participle of rive

   The mightie trunck halfe rent, with ragged rift Doth roll adowne the rocks, and fall with fearefull drift.

7. 7
   noun

   a personal or social separation (as between opposing factions)

8. 8
   noun

   a narrow fissure in rock

Etymology

From Middle English rift, of North Germanic origin; akin to Danish rift, Norwegian Bokmål rift (“breach”), Old Norse rífa (“to tear”). More at rive.