-Raving review by Richard Bellars: Penn and Teller FOOLER
You should consider rephrasing that sentence going forward, Marvin...
rave /rāv/ verb
1. talk wildly or incoherently, as if one were delirious or insane; address someone in an angry, uncontrolled way.
2. speak or write about someone or something with great enthusiasm or admiration.
3. INFORMAL: attend or take part in a rave (party).
"Rave" works fine as a good, positive description, using the second definition, as in "Rave review by Richard Bellars."
"Raving," on the other hand - not quite as good, in terms of how it's used, especially in the adjective form, which you are using.
rav·ing /ˈrāviNG/ noun; plural noun: ravings
wild, irrational, or incoherent talk.
INFORMAL adjective: raving
used to emphasize the bad or extreme quality of someone or something.
While it's not impossible to see it as being a positive thing, "raving review" would more often be thought of as an example of a reviewer that is raving, as in speaking like a crazy person. Have you ever heard the expression "stark raving mad" as a way of saying "insane?" A "raving review" wouldn't necessarily be a good thing and would almost certainly reflect poorly on the reviewer, if not the object being reviewed as well. At least, that's how it's more commonly used in American English...
(Read 3630 times)
