Be‐reave″ (bē̍‐rēv″), v. t. [imp. & p. p.Bereaved (bē̍‐rēvd″), Bereft (bē̍‐rĕft″); p. pr. & vb. n.Bereaving.] [OE. bireven, AS. bereáfian. See Be-, and Reave.]
1. To make destitute; to deprive; to strip; — with of before the person or thing taken away.
Madam, you have bereft me of all words.
Shak.
Bereft of him who taught me how to sing.
Tickell.
2. To take away from.
All your interest in those territories
Is utterly bereft you; all is lost.
Shak.
3. To take away.
Shall move you to bereave my life.
Marlowe.
☞ The imp. and past pple. form bereaved is not used in reference to immaterial objects. We say bereaved or bereft by death of a relative, bereft of hope and strength.
Syn. — To dispossess; to divest.