Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of verb rive

2 senses of rive

Sense 1
rend, rip, rive, pull -- (tear or be torn violently; "The curtain ripped from top to bottom"; "pull the cooked chicken into strips")
       => tear, rupture, snap, bust -- (separate or cause to separate abruptly; "The rope snapped"; "tear the paper")

Sense 2
cleave, split, rive -- (separate or cut with a tool, such as a sharp instrument; "cleave the bone")
       => tear -- (to separate or be separated by force; "planks were in danger of being torn from the crossbars")