Rave reviews

Origin

The term 'rave' originally meant to wander or stray, deriving from the Old French 'raver.' By the 17th century, it took on the sense of speaking wildly or deliriously, often out of madness or passion. As language evolved, this intensity shifted from derangement to fervent expression, and by the 19th century, 'to rave' meant to speak with extravagant enthusiasm or praise. When paired with 'reviews,' particularly in the burgeoning entertainment and arts criticism of the 20th century, it vividly captured a level of critical acclaim that was not merely positive, but overwhelmingly, almost uncontrollably laudatory, signifying a triumph of public and critical reception.