The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Reave \Reave\ (r[=e]v), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Reaved (r[=e]vd),
   Reft (r[e^]ft), or Raft (r[.a]ft) (obs.); p. pr. & vb. n.
   Reaving.] [AS. re['a]fian, from re['a]f spoil, plunder,
   clothing, re['o]fan to break (cf. bire['o]fan to deprive of);
   akin to G. rauben to rob, Icel. raufa to rob, rj[=u]fa to
   break, violate, Goth. bir['a]ub[=o]n to despoil, L. rumpere
   to break; cf. Skr. lup to break. [root]114. Cf. Bereave,
   Rob, v. t., Robe, Rove, v. i., Rupture.]
   To take away by violence or by stealth; to snatch away; to
   rob; to despoil; to bereave. [Archaic]. "To reave his life."
   --Spenser.
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         He golden apples raft of the dragon.     --Chaucer.
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         If the wooers reave
         By privy stratagem my life at home.      --Chapman.
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         To reave the orphan of his patrimony.    --Shak.
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         The heathen caught and reft him of his tongue.
                                                  --Tennyson.
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