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   rift

   /rɪft/

   noun

   • 1. a crack, split, or break in something: "the wind had torn open a rift in the clouds" Similar crackfaultflawsplitbreakbreachfissurefracturecleftcrevicegapcrannyslitchinkintersticecavityopeningspaceholeaperture
   • ▪ a major fault separating blocks of the earth's surface; a rift valley.
   • 2. a serious break in friendly relations: "the rift between the two branches of the legal profession" Similar breachdivisionsplitquarrelsquabbledisagreementdifference of opinionfalling-outfightrowaltercationargumentwar of wordsdisputeconflictcontretempsclashwrangletusslefeudbattle royalestrangementalienationschisminformal:run-inspatscrapding-dongbust-up

   verb

   • 1. break apart or become separated through faulting caused by plate tectonics: "the Indian landmass rifted from Madagascar about 90 million years ago"
   • ▪ cause to break away through faulting caused by plate tectonics: "in the Cretaceous two microcontinents were rifted off northern Africa and drifted northwards towards Eurasia"

   Word Origin Middle English: of Scandinavian origin; compare with Norwegian and Danish rift ‘cleft, chink’.

   Scrabble Points: 7

   • R

     1

   • I

     1

   • F

     4

   • T

     1

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