noun
rivet
RIH-vuht
noun
1
A short metal pin used to permanently join two pieces of metal or other material by hammering or pressing one end flat.
"The bridge is held together with thousands of steel rivets."
verb
1
To fasten with rivets.
"The panels were riveted onto the hull."
2
To hold someone's complete attention.
"The final chapter riveted her from start to finish."
How to Use Rivet
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA metal fastener used to permanently join materials, or (figuratively) to completely capture someone's attention.
Common pairings
rivets and bolts
riveted to the spot
riveted attention
Word Forms
riveted past tense, rivetted past tense, rivets plural, Rivets plural, rivets singular
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Etymology
From Old French rivet, from river ("to fasten"), ultimately traced back to Latin ripa ("riverbank") — the same root that gives us "river" and "rival."