Definition of 'rivet'
Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense, 3rd person singular present tense rivets
, present participle riveting
, past tense, past participle riveted
2. countable noun
A rivet is a short metal pin with a flat head which is used to fasten flat pieces of metal together.
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
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Word Frequency
rivet in British English
noun
verbWord forms: -ets, -eting, -eted (transitive)
2.
to join by riveting
3.
to hammer in order to form into a head
4. (often passive)
to be riveted to the spot
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
riveter (ˈriveter) noun
Word origin
C14: from Old French, from river to fasten, fix, of unknown origin
Word Frequency
rivet in American English
noun
1.
2.
verb transitive
3.
to fasten with a rivet or rivets
4.
to hammer or spread the end of (a bolt, etc.) into a head, for fastening something
5.
to fasten or secure firmly
6.
to fix or hold (the eyes, attention, etc.) firmly
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Derived forms
riveter (ˈriveter)
noun
Word origin
ME ryvette < MFr rivet < river, to clinch < ?
Word Frequency
rivet in American English
(ˈrɪvɪt) (verb -eted, -eting or esp Brit -etted, -etting)
noun
1.
a metal pin for passing through holes in two or more plates or pieces to hold them
together, usually made with a head at one end, the other end being hammered into a
head after insertion
transitive verb
2.
to fasten with a rivet or rivets
3.
to hammer or spread out the end of (a pin, bolt, etc.) in order to form a head and
secure something; clinch
4.
to fasten or fix firmly
5.
to hold (the eye, attention, etc.) firmly
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Derived forms
riveter noun
rivetless
adjective
Word origin
[1350–1400; (n.) ME revette, rivette ‹ OF rivet, deriv. of river to attach; (v.) ME revetten, deriv. of the n.]Examples of 'rivet' in a sentence
rivet
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In other languages
rivet
British English: rivet
VERB /ˈrɪvɪt/
If you are riveted by something, it fascinates you and holds your interest completely.
As a child I remember being riveted by my grandfather's appearance.
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rivet
Related terms of
rivet
Source
Definition of rivet from the Collins English Dictionary
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