rap
A sharp blow with something hard.
Noun
- A sharp blow with something hard.
- The teacher sat at one end of the bench, with a meek little fellow by his side. When the others were disorderly, this young martyr received a rap; intended, probably, as a sample of what the rest might expect, if they...
- He walked softly up the sanded path, tiptoed up the steps and across the piazza, and rapped at the front door, not too loudly, lest this too might attract the attention of the man across the street. There was no...
- The author (obviously a naturalist of no mean order) received an official rap over the knuckles for trespassing, and for encouraging others to do so. Evidently the instigator of this reprimand had not visited the...
- The blame for something.
- You can't act irresponsibly and then expect me to take the rap.
- A casual talk.
- Clearspace is holding a bisexuality rap at the center, 485 Mass Ave. 7:30pm. Topic of discussion will be femininity and masculinity. - 1979 April 14, “Calendar”, in Gay Community News, page 16:
- Rap music.
- They like listening to rap.
- A song, verse, or instance of singing in the style of rap music.
- An appraisal.
- a good/great/bad rap
- A positive appraisal; a recommendation.
- He gave the novel quite a rap.
Origin
From Middle English rap, rappe, of North Germanic origin, related to Norwegian rapp (“a blow, strike, lash”), Swedish rapp (“a blow, lash, crack”), Danish rap (“a tap, smart, blow”). Compare Old English hreppan (“to touch, treat”). More at rape.
Forms
Derived
antirap backpack rap bad rap battle rap beat the rap bum rap cloud rap conscious rap country rap dungeon rap emo rap gangsta rap gangster rap jazz rap Memphis rap mumble rap progressive rap proto-rap rap back rap battle rap battling rapcore rap group raphead
Noun historical
- Any of the tokens that passed current for a halfpenny in Ireland in the early part of the eighteenth century; any coin of trifling value.
- Many counterfeits passed about under the name of raps. - 1724, Jonathan Swift, “Drapier's Letters”, in 1:
- Tie it [her money] up so tight that you can't touch a rap, save with her consent. - 1886, Mrs. Alexander, Beaton's Bargain:
- A whit; a jot.
- I don't care a rap.
- That's not worth a rap.
Origin
Perhaps contracted from rapparee.
Forms
Noun government, law enforcement
- Acronym of record of arrest and prosecution.
Synonyms: RAP
- A charge, whether or not it results in a conviction.
- We got one maybe ID, but when we checked, we found out the suspect's been in Rikers for a year on a drug rap. - 2014, James Neal Harvey, Mental Case:
Origin
From RAP (“record of arrest and prosecution”).
Forms
Derived
Noun Entry 4
- A lea or skein of yarn that forms the standard length taken from the reel, 80 yards of worsted or 120 yards of silk or cotton.
- […] and that every hank or skein that shall be used as a binder to tie up or bind together any pound or parcel of yarn shall contain the same number of threads in a rap or lea, and the same number of raps or leas as the...
- At each rap the reel was moved slightly to one side, so that the next rap was wound separately, and so on until seven raps had been made, then the seven raps were made up into one hank, […] - 1881, Alfred Spitzli, A...
- Thus, a rap may be reeled (of cotton or silk 120 yards, of worsted 80 yards), then as one rap is equal to one-seventh of a hank, 1000 grains will be equal to the one-seventh of a pound, so that whatever part of 1000...
Origin
Uncertain.
Forms
Verb Entry 5
- To strike something sharply with one's knuckles; knock.
- While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, / As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. - 1845 February, — Quarles [pseudonym; Edgar Allan Poe], “The Raven”, in The American Review,...
- He walked softly up the sanded path, tiptoed up the steps and across the piazza, and rapped at the front door, not too loudly, lest this too might attract the attention of the man across the street. There was no...
- To strike with a quick blow; to knock on.
- With one great peal they rap the door. - 1717, Matthew Prior, The Dove:
- Maud took an active part in the drive, and with her cries and flourishings of the broken oar was of considerable assistance. I noticed, though, that whenever one looked tired and lagged, she let it slip past. But I...
- To free (a pattern) in a mould by light blows on the pattern, so as to facilitate its removal.
- To utter quickly and sharply.
- The sergeant rapped out a word of command to the troops.
- "My dear sir!" rapped out the distressed curate, "don't you think that I haven't worried about that? […]" - 1923, Ernest Bramah, The Eyes of Max Carrados:
- To speak (lyrics) in the style of rap music.
- He started to rap after listening to Tupac.
- He rapped a song to his girlfriend.
- But the purported rise in violent videos online has led some MPs to campaign for courts to have more power to remove or block material on YouTube. The Labour MP Heidi Alexander said she was appalled after a constituent...
- To talk casually; to engage in conversation.
- Three languages rapped, fumbled or rumblingly oozed all the while. - 1956, Anthony Burgess, Time for a Tiger (The Malayan Trilogy), published 1972, page 129:
- Louie said, "I dig this Theo. I'm gonna learn Swahili and rap with him." - 1976 September, Saul Bellow, Humboldt’s Gift, New York, N.Y.: Avon Books, →ISBN, page 432:
- Got your address from NGTF, I could dig some mail and friends. I'll be released in July of '80, am 24, and like chess, body building, people and of course letters. Nice rapping to you. - 1980 April 12, Mike Sassin,...
Origin
From Middle English rappen, of North Germanic origin, related to Swedish rappa (“to strike, beat, rap”), German rappeln (“to rattle”).
Forms
Synonyms
Related
Derived
outrap rap and rend rap at rap on rappable rappage rapper rap someone's knuckles
Verb Entry 6
- To seize and carry off.
- To transport out of oneself; to affect with rapture.
Forms
Verb Entry 7
- to rappel