revved
|rev|
/rɛv/
(rev)
increase in speed or energy
Etymology
'rev' originates from the word 'revolution' (often abbreviated), ultimately from Latin 'revolvere' where 're-' meant 'back' and 'volvere' meant 'to roll' or 'to turn'.
'revolvere' entered English via Old French and Latin into words like 'revolution' and 'revolve'; in the 20th century the abbreviation 'rev' arose in motoring contexts to refer to engine 'revolutions' and then became a verb meaning 'to increase engine revolutions'.
Initially it referred to a 'revolution' or rotation (the number of turns of an engine). Over time it developed into a verb meaning 'to increase the engine's revolutions' and then extended figuratively to mean 'to increase energy or intensity'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Verb 1
past tense or past participle form of 'rev': to increase the speed (revolutions) of an engine (often by pressing the accelerator)
He revved the engine before taking off down the street.
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Verb 2
past tense or past participle form of 'rev' used figuratively: to intensify activity, energy, or emotions
The campaign revved public interest in the issue.
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Adjective 1
having been caused to run at high speed (especially an engine) or being excited/energized
The crowd looked revved and ready for the concert.
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Last updated: 2026/01/17 08:36