The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Rivet \Riv"et\, n. [F., fr. river to rivet; perh. fr. Icel. rifa
   to fasten together. Cf. Reef part of a sail.]
   A metallic pin with a head, used for uniting two plates or
   pieces of material together, by passing it through them and
   then beating or pressing down the point so that it shall
   spread out and form a second head; a pin or bolt headed or
   clinched at both ends.
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         With busy hammers closing rivets up. --Shak.
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   Rivet joint, or Riveted joint, a joint between two or
      more pieces secured by rivets.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Rivet \Riv"et\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Riveted; p. pr. & vb. n.
   Riveting.]
   1. To fasten with a rivet, or with rivets; as, to rivet two
      pieces of iron.
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   2. To spread out the end or point of, as of a metallic pin,
      rod, or bolt, by beating or pressing, so as to form a sort
      of head.
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   3. Hence, to fasten firmly; to make firm, strong, or
      immovable; as, to rivet friendship or affection.
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            Rivet and nail me where I stand, ye powers!
                                                  --Congreve.
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            Thus his confidence was riveted and confirmed. --Sir
                                                  W. Scott.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

rivet
    n 1: ornament consisting of a circular rounded protuberance (as
         on a vault or shield or belt) [syn: stud, rivet]
    2: heavy pin having a head at one end and the other end being
       hammered flat after being passed through holes in the pieces
       that are fastened together
    v 1: direct one's attention on something; "Please focus on your
         studies and not on your hobbies" [syn: concentrate,
         focus, center, centre, pore, rivet]
    2: fasten with a rivet or rivets
    3: hold (someone's attention); "The discovery of the skull
       riveted the paleontologists"

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

45 Moby Thesaurus words for "rivet":
   affix, articulate, attach, batten, batten down, bolt, buckle, butt,
   button, clasp, cleat, clip, concenter, concentrate, dovetail, fix,
   fixate, focus, hasp, hinge, hitch, hook, jam, joint, latch, lock,
   miter, mortise, nail, peg, pin, put, rabbet, scarf, screw, sew,
   skewer, snap, staple, stick, stitch, tack, toggle, wedge, zipper