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rap 1 (răp)
Share:
v. rapped, rap·ping, raps
v.tr.
1. To hit sharply and swiftly; strike: rapped the table with his fist.
2. To utter sharply: rap out a complaint.
3. To criticize or blame.
v.intr.
To strike a quick light blow: rapped on the door.
n.
1. A quick light blow or knock.
2. A knocking or tapping sound.
3. Slang
a. A reprimand.
b. A sentence to serve time in prison.
4. Slang A negative quality or characteristic associated with a person or an object.
Idioms:
beat the rap Slang
To escape punishment or be acquitted of a charge.
take the rap Slang
To accept punishment or take the blame for an offense or error.
[Middle English rappen, possibly of imitative origin.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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