From Old French rivet (13th century), from the verb Old French river (“to fetter ”) (12th century), from Old French rive (“rim, edge”) (ca. 1100), which is ultimately from Latin ripa (“riverbank”). Compare river, rival, riparian.

The sense "kind of footman's armour" is apparently a back-formation from almain rivet, which is apparently derived from the English noun; see that entry for more.

• IPA^(key): /ˈɹɪvət/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪvət

rivet (plural rivets)

1. A cylindrical mechanical fastener that attaches multiple parts together by fitting through a hole and deforming the head(s) at either end.
2. (figuratively) Any fixed point or certain basis.
3. (obsolete) A light kind of footman's plate armour; an almain rivet.
   • a. 1548 (date written), Edward Hall, Richard Grafton, “(please specify the part of the work)”, in The Vnion of the Two Noble and Illustre Famelies of Lancastre & Yorke, , London: Richardi Graftoni , published 1548, →OCLC:

     over his rivet he had a garment of white cloth of gold with a redde crosse

   • 1903, The Archaeological Journal, page 105:

     In 1579 it is mentioned that Almain rivets are now out of use, and in lieu of them a corselett shall be found. The rivets varied in cost; in 1509 they were to be had for 8s., in 1512 they were imported at 16s., and again in 1513 

rivet (third-person singular simple present rivets, present participle riveting or rivetting, simple past and past participle riveted or rivetted)

1. (transitive) To attach or fasten parts by using rivets.
2. (transitive) To install rivets.
3. (transitive, figurative) To command the attention of.
   • 1912 October, Edgar Rice Burroughs, “Tarzan of the Apes”, in The All-Story, New York, N.Y.: Frank A. Munsey Co., →OCLC; republished as chapter 6, in Tarzan of the Apes, New York, N.Y.: A. L. Burt Company, 1914 June, →OCLC, furnishings and other contents of the room it was which riveted his attention. He examined many things minutely — strange tools and weapons, books, paper, clothing — what little had withstood the ravages of time in the humid atmosphere of the jungle coast./mode/1up pages The furnishings and other contents of the room it was which riveted his attention. He examined many things minutely — strange tools and weapons, books, paper, clothing — what little had withstood the ravages of time in the humid atmosphere of the jungle coast.:
4. (transitive, figurative) To make firm or immovable.

   Terror riveted him to the spot.

• riveters
• riveting
• riveter
• rivets
• riveted

• rivet on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

• tiver, Viter, Vitré

Borrowed from Andalusian Arabic رِبَاط (ribát), from Arabic رِبَاط (ribāṭ, “something which binds”).

• IPA^(key): (Central)
• IPA^(key): (Balearic)
• IPA^(key): (Valencia)

rivet m (plural rivets)

1. weather strip, draught excluder
2. edging, piping
3. (in the plural) hints, traces
   • 1898, Marià Vayreda, Recorts de la darrera carlinada:

     Ara, ab més reflexió, trobo que fou senzillament un acte de cobardía ab ribets de personal egoisme.

     Now, after more reflection, I find that it was simply and act of cowardice with traces of personal egoism.

• rivetar

• “rivet”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies , April 2007

From Latin ripa.

• IPA^(key): /ʁi.vɛ/

• Audio:

  (file)

rivet m (plural rivets)

1. rivet (mechanical fastener)

• “rivet”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé , 2012.

rīvet

1. third-person singular present active subjunctive of rīvō

rivet

1. definite singular of riv