1. rift(n = noun.object) - a gap between cloud masses; "the sun shone through a rift in the clouds"
is a kind of gap, opening
2. rift(n = noun.object) - a narrow fissure in rock;
is a kind of cleft, crack, crevice, fissure, scissure
3. rift(n = noun.event) breach, break, falling out, rupture, severance - a personal or social separation (as between opposing factions); "they hoped to avoid a break in relations"
is a kind of breakup, detachment, separation
has particulars: schism
1. An opening made by riving or splitting; a cleft; a fissure. Spenser. [1913 Webster]
2. A shallow place in a stream; a ford. [1913 Webster]
To cleave; to rive; to split; as, to rift an oak or a rock; to rift the clouds. Longfellow. [1913 Webster]
"To dwell these rifted rocks between." [1913 Webster]
1. To burst open; to split. Shak. [1913 Webster]
"Timber . . . not apt to rif with ordnance." [1913 Webster]
2. To belch. [1913 Webster]
rift, n. & v.
--n.
1 a a crack or split in an object. b an opening in a cloud etc.
2 a cleft or fissure in earth or rock.
3 a disagreement; a breach in friendly relations.
--v.tr. tear or burst apart.
Idiom:
rift-valley a steep-sided valley formed by subsidence of the earth's crust between nearly parallel faults.
Derivative:
riftless adj. rifty adj.
Etymology:
ME, of Scand. orig.
N disjunction, disconnection, disunity, disunion, disassociation, disengagement, discontinuity, abjunction, cataclasm, inconnection, abstraction, abstractedness, isolation, insularity, insulation, oasis, island, separateness, severalty, disjecta membra, dispersion, apportionment, separation, parting, circumcision, detachment, segregation, divorce, sejunction, seposition, diduction, diremption, discerption, elision, caesura, break, fracture, division, subdivision, rupture, compartition, dismemberment, dislocation, luxation, severance, disseverance, scission, rescission, abscission, laceration, dilaceration, disruption, abruption, avulsion, divulsion, section, resection, cleavage, fission, partibility, separability, fissure, breach, rent, split, rift, crack, slit, incision, dissection anatomy, decomposition, cutting instrument, buzzsaw, circular saw, rip saw, separatist, disjoined, discontinuous, multipartite, abstract, disjunctive, secant, isolated, insular, separate, disparate, discrete, apart, asunder, far between, loose, free, unattached, unannexed, unassociated, unconnected, distinct, adrift, straggling, rift, reft, scissile, divisible, discerptible, partible, separable, separately, one by one, severally, apart, adrift, asunder, in twain, in the abstract, abstractedly, disjunction, disconnection, disunity, disunion, disassociation, disengagement, discontinuity, abjunction, cataclasm, inconnection, abstraction, abstractedness, isolation, insularity, insulation, oasis, island, separateness, severalty, disjecta membra, dispersion, apportionment, separation, parting, circumcision, detachment, segregation, divorce, sejunction, seposition, diduction, diremption, discerption, elision, caesura, break, fracture, division, subdivision, rupture, compartition, dismemberment, dislocation, luxation, severance, disseverance, scission, rescission, abscission, laceration, dilaceration, disruption, abruption, avulsion, divulsion, section, resection, cleavage, fission, partibility, separability, fissure, breach, rent, split, rift, crack, slit, incision, dissection anatomy, decomposition, cutting instrument, buzzsaw, circular saw, rip saw, separatist, disjoined, discontinuous, multipartite, abstract, disjunctive, secant, isolated, insular, separate, disparate, discrete, apart, asunder, far between, loose, free, unattached, unannexed, unassociated, unconnected, distinct, adrift, straggling, rift, reft, scissile, divisible, discerptible, partible, separable, separately, one by one, severally, apart, adrift, asunder, in twain, in the abstract, abstractedly.
N interval, interspace, separation, break, gap, opening, hole, chasm, hiatus, caesura, interruption, interregnum, interstice, lacuna, cleft, mesh, crevice, chink, rime, creek, cranny, crack, chap, slit, fissure, scissure, rift, flaw, breach, rent, gash, cut, leak, dike, ha-ha, gorge, defile, ravine, canon, crevasse, abyss, abysm, gulf, inlet, frith, strait, gully, pass, furrow, abra, barranca, barranco, clove, gulch, notch, yawning gulf, hiatus maxime, hiatus valde deflendus, parenthesis, void, incompleteness, period, interim (time), with an interval, far between, breachy, rimose, rimulose, at intervals, longo intervallo.