Category:River

Riv"er, n.

Defn: one who rives or splits.

River Riv"er, n. Etym: [f. rivère a river, ll. riparia river, bank of a river, fr. L. riparius belonging to a bank or shore, fr. ripa a bank or shore; of uncertain origin. Cf. Arrive, riparian.]

1. A large stream of water flowing in a bed or channel and emptying into the ocean, a sea, a lake, or another stream; a stream larger than a rivulet or brook. Transparent and sparkling rivers, from which it is delightful to drink as they flow. Macaulay.

See: Rivers

2. Fig.: A large stream; copious flow; abundance; as, rivers of blood; rivers of oil. River chub (zoöl.), the hornyhead and allied species of fresh-water fishes.

-- river crab (zoöl.), any species of fresh-water crabs of the genus Thelphusa, as t. depressa of southern Europe.

-- river dragon, a crocodile; -- applied by Milton to the king of Egypt.

-- river driver, a lumberman who drives or conducts logs down rivers. Bartlett.

-- river duck (zoöl.), any species of duck belonging to anas, spatula, and allied genera, in which the hind toe is destitute of a membranous lobe, as in the mallard and pintail; -- opposed to sea duck.

-- river god, a deity supposed to preside over a river as its tutelary divinity.

-- river herring (zoöl.), an alewife.

-- river hog. (zoöl.) (a) any species of african wild hogs of the genus potamochoerus. They frequent wet places along the rivers. (b) The capybara.

-- river horse (zoöl.), the hippopotamus.

-- river jack (zoöl.), an African puff adder (clotho nasicornis) having a spine on the nose.

-- river limpet (zoöl.), a fresh-water, air-breathing mollusk of the genus ancylus, having a limpet-shaped shell.

-- river pirate (zoöl.), the pike.

-- river snail (zoöl.), any species of fresh-water gastropods of paludina, melontho, and allied genera. See pond snail, under pond.

-- river tortoise (zoöl.), any one of numerous fresh-water tortoises inhabiting rivers, especially those of the genus trionyx and allied genera. See trionyx.

River Riv"er, v. i.

Defn: to hawk by the side of a river; to fly hawks at river fowl. [obs.] Halliwell.

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---excerpt from the Illustrated Bible Dictionary

River - (1.) Heb. 'aphik, properly the channel or ravine that holds water (2 Samuel 22:16), translated "brook," "river," "stream," but not necessarily a perennial stream (Ezekiel 6:3; Ezekiel 31:12; Ezekiel 32:6; Ezekiel 34:13). (2.) Heb. nahal, in winter a "torrent," in summer a "wady" or valley (Genesis 32:23; Deuteronomy 2:24; Deuteronomy 3:16; Isaiah 30:28; Lamentations 2:18; Ezekiel 47:9). These winter torrents sometimes come down with great suddenness and with desolating force. A distinguished traveler thus describes his experience in this matter:, "I was encamped in Wady Feiran, near the base of Jebel Serbal, when a tremendous thunderstorm burst upon us. After little more than an hour's rain, the water rose so rapidly in the previously dry wady that I had to run for my life, and with great difficulty succeeded in saving my tent and goods; my boots, which I had not time to pick up, were washed away. In less than two hours a dry desert wady upwards of 300 yards broad was turned into a foaming torrent from 8 to 10 feet deep, roaring and tearing down and bearing everything upon it, tangled masses of tamarisks, hundreds of beautiful palm trees, scores of sheep and goats, camels and donkeys, and even men, women, and children, for a whole encampment of Arabs was washed away a few miles above me. The storm commenced at five in the evening; at half-past nine the waters were rapidly subsiding, and it was evident that the flood had spent its force." (Compare Matthew 7:27; Luke 6:49.) (3.) Nahar, a "river" continuous and full, a perennial stream, as the Jordan, the Euphrates (Genesis 2:10; Genesis 15:18; Deuteronomy 1:7; Psalms 66:6; Ezekiel 10:15). (4.) Tel'alah , a conduit, or water-course (1 Kings 18:32; 2 Kings 18:17; 2 Kings 20:20; Job 38:25; Ezekiel 31:4). (5.) Peleg, properly "waters divided", i.e., streams divided, throughout the land (Psalms 1:3); "the rivers [i.e., 'divisions'] of waters" (Job 20:17; Job 29:6; Proverbs 5:16). (6.) Ye'or, i.e., "great river", probably from an Egyptian word ( Aur ), commonly applied to the Nile (Genesis 41:1), but also to other rivers (Job 28:10; Isaiah 33:21). (7.) Yubhal, "a river" (Jeremiah 17:8), a full flowing stream. (8.) 'Ubhal, "a river" (Daniel 8:2).