Completely holding someone's attention because it's so interesting or exciting; or fastening metal pieces together with rivets.
From 'rivet,' a metal bolt, from Old French 'river' meaning 'to fasten.' The noun came first (the fastening pin), then the verb (to fasten with rivets), then the adjective (so gripping you're 'fastened' to it).
It's wonderful that 'riveting' means both a technical metalworking process AND completely fascinating! The metaphor suggests that captivating stories literally rivet us in place—we're fastened to our seats. Riveting was also how planes and ships were built before welding.
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