Get rave reviews

Origin

The word 'rave' began its linguistic journey in the 14th century, stemming from the Old French 'raver,' meaning to wander or be mad. For centuries, it described wild, uncontrolled behavior or speech. However, by the early 20th century, 'rave' began to shed its negative connotations, evolving to describe an enthusiastic party or, in a more general sense, something exceedingly good or exciting. When paired with 'reviews' – the critical appraisals common in arts and consumer industries – the phrase 'get rave reviews' emerged in the mid-20th century to perfectly capture the essence of receiving praise so effusive it borders on ecstatic, as if the critics themselves were 'raving' with delight.