rant and rave

[birdeen's call]

When you say that someone "rants and raves", do you think of the two verbs as meaning two different things, or do you use both for emphasis or just because it's idiomatic?

 

[Munch]

When I hear or say this phrase, it is just an idiom and I don’t really think about the meaning of each word. I also think you are correct that we use two words for emphasis.

You probably know already, but the two words have slightly different meanings. A rant could be a logical but excited speech or piece of writing but if someone raves, they might sound crazy and what they are saying probably doesn’t make much sense.

 

[birdeen's call]

When I hear or say this phrase, it is just an idiom and I don’t really think about the meaning of each word. I also think you are correct that we use two words for emphasis.

You probably know already, but the two words have slightly different meanings. A rant could be a logical but excited speech or piece of writing but if someone raves, they might sound crazy and what they are saying probably doesn’t make much sense.

Thank you!

 

[5jj]

I have nothing to add to Munch's clear response. I am writing simply to confirm that I, a speaker of BrE, am of the same opinion.

 

[konungursvia]

I have nothing to add to Munch's clear response. I am writing simply to confirm that I, a speaker of BrE, am of the same opinion.

Me three.

 

[apex2000]

Me three.

Oh dear, that is me too!

 

[Tdol]

Some people used to use a fake html tag in forums

<rant>...</rant>

when they were expressing strongly held opinions; they clearly didn't regard themselves as mad, but used it as a warning that they felt this strongly about the text in between the tags.