Etymology

Compound formed on ryfte (n.).

PGmc Ancestor

*rīfan-

Proposed ON Etymon (OIcel representative)

ript 'withdrawal, breach of contract'
(ONP rift (sb.))

Other Scandinavian Reflexes

Norw rift, Dan rift, Sw rift

OE Cognate

Phonological and morphological markers

Summary category

B2c

Attestation

This appears to be a unique compound (see 'lake-rift' in OED s.v. lake n.3), but see the entry for ryfte (n.).

Occurrences in the Gersum Corpus

Cl 536

This compound describes the dwelling place of lions and leopards, and so is usually interpreted as some sort of landscape feature cut into the earth by water: thus e.g. GollCl and Menner 'dens', Anderson 'river valleys' and Vant 'ravines'. These different readings reflect which sense of lake is assumed (cp. OE lacu 'small stream, channel' with OFr lac and Lat lacus 'lake').

Bibliography

MED rift(e (n.1) , OED3 rift (n.2) , HTOED , de Vries ript (2), Orel *riftiz, *rīfanan, Kroonen *rīfan- ~ *rīpan-, AEW ripan, riopan