rift

/ˈrift/

Middle English, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Danish & Norwegian rift fissure, Old Norse rīfa to rive

noun

  1. fissure, crevasse

  2. fault

  3. a clear space or interval

verb

  1. to burst open

  2. cleave, divide

  3. penetrate

noun

  1. an elongated valley formed by the depression of a block of the earth's crust between two faults or groups of faults of approximately parallel orientation