rap
1 of 6noun (1)
ˈrap 
1
: a sharp blow or knock
2
a
: a sharp rebuke or criticism
b
: a negative and often undeserved reputation or charge —often used with bum or bad
given a bum rap by the press
3
a
: the responsibility for or adverse consequences of an action
refused to take the rap
b
: a criminal charge
c
: a prison sentence
rap
2 of 6verb (1)
rapped; rapping
transitive verb
1
: to strike with a sharp blow
2
: to utter suddenly and forcibly
3
: to cause to be or come by raps
rap the meeting to order
4
: to criticize sharply
intransitive verb
1
: to strike a quick sharp blow
2
: to make a short sharp sound
rap
3 of 6verb (2)
rapped also rapt ˈrapt ; rapping
; rapping transitive verb
1
: to snatch away or upward
2
: enrapture
rap
4 of 6noun (2)
: a minimum amount or degree (as of care or consideration) : the least bit
doesn't care a rap
rap
5 of 6verb (3)
rapped; rapping
intransitive verb
1
: to talk freely and frankly
2
: to perform rap music
rap
6 of 6noun (3)
1
: talk, conversation
also : a line of talk : patter
2
a
: a type of music of African American origin in which rhythmic and usually rhyming speech is chanted to a musical accompaniment
enjoys listening to rap
—often used before another noun rap musica rap album/artist/song
b
: a rap song
… the group mixes its usual raunch with mock news reports and anti-censorship raps …
Jon Pareles
Jon Pareles
Synonyms
Noun (1)
- charge
- complaint
- count
- indictment
Verb (1)
- bang
- bash
- bat
- belt
- biff
- bludgeon
- bob
- bonk
- bop
- box
- bust
- clap
- clip
- clobber
- clock
- clout
- crack
- hammer
- hit
- knock
- nail
- paste
- pound
- punch
- slam
- slap
- slog
- slug
- smack
- smite
- sock
- strike
- swat
- swipe
- tag
- thump
- thwack
- wallop
- whack
- whale
- zap
Verb (2)
- carry away
- enrapture
- enthrall
- enthral
- entrance
- rapture
- ravish
- transport
Noun (2)
- beans
- bubkes
- bupkes
- bupkus
- continental
- damn
- darn
- durn
- diddly [slang]
- diddly-squat [slang]
- doodley-squat
- doodly-squat
- fig
- ghost
- hoot
- iota
- jot
- lick
- modicum
- squat [slang]
- syllable
- tittle
- whit
- whoop
Verb (3)
- babble
- blab
- cackle
- chaffer [British]
- chat
- chatter
- chin [slang]
- converse
- gab
- gabble
- gas
- jabber
- jaw
- kibitz
- kibbitz
- natter
- palaver
- patter
- prate
- prattle
- rattle
- run on
- schmooze
- shmooze
- talk
- visit
Noun (3)
- backchat
- cackle
- causerie
- chat
- chatter
- chin music
- chin-wag [slang]
- chitchat
- confab
- confabulation
- gab
- gabfest
- gossip
- jangle
- jaw
- natter [chiefly British]
- palaver
- patter
- schmooze
- small talk
- table talk
- talk
- tête-à-tête
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
Middle English rappe
Verb (2)
back-formation from rapt
Noun (2)
perhaps from rap entry 1
Verb (3)
perhaps from rap entry 1
First Known Use
Noun (1)
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb (1)
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Verb (2)
1599, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun (2)
1834, in the meaning defined above
Verb (3)
1929, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun (3)
1967, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing rap
Kids Definition
rap 1 of 4
verb
ˈrap
rapped; rapping
: to give a quick sharp blow
rap
2 of 4noun
1
: a sharp blow or knock
2
: the blame or punishment for something
You did it, so you take the rap.
rap
3 of 4verb
rapped; rapping
1
: to talk freely and informally
2
: to perform rap music
rap
4 of 4noun
1
: an informal talk : chat
2
: a type of music that usually has a fast rhythm and in which words are spoken instead of sung
raps 1 of 6
noun (1)
1
as in counts
a formal claim of criminal wrongdoing against a person the headlines in the paper today are all about the mayor facing an embezzlement rap Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- counts
- indictments
- allegations
- charges
- accusations
- complaints
- criminations
- innuendos
- insinuations
- condemnations
- pleas
- arraignments
- denunciations
- impeachments
- counteraccusations
- incriminations
- countercharges
- counter-accusations
- counter-charges
- imputations
- innuendoes
- censures
- recriminations
- implications
2
as in thumps
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument the doctor used a little hammer to give me a rap on the knee to test my reflexes Synonyms & Similar Words
- thumps
- blows
- slaps
- punches
- swipes
- thuds
- hits
- beats
- knocks
- strokes
- whacks
- pokes
- slams
- licks
- smacks
- spanks
- clips
- pounds
- bangs
- claps
- hooks
- swats
- chops
- bops
- biffs
- belts
- switches
- socks
- haymakers
- pelts
- hacks
- bashes
- kicks
- cuffs
- lashes
- bats
- whams
- clouts
- thwacks
- hands
- smashes
- knees
- dabs
- slugs
- buffets
- picks
- cracks
- stripes
- busts
- plumps
- wallops
- lickings
- stingers
- welts
- swings
- fillips
- whaps
- boxes
- douses
- beatings
- whops
- larrups
- counterstrokes
- counterpunches
- counters
- whips
- shivers
- counterblows
- lefts
- counter-strokes
- batterings
- rights
- uppercuts
- thrashings
- counter-blows
- body blows
- whippings
- sidewinders
- roundhouses
- knockdowns
- rabbit punches
- drubbings
- bastinadoes
- sucker punches
- pastings
- kayos
- knockouts
- one-twos
- crunchers
- bastinades
- wallopings
- KOs
- right-handers
raps
2 of 6noun (2)
as in chats
friendly, informal conversation or an instance of this after our pickup softball game, I had a friendly rap with a couple of the guys in the park Synonyms & Similar Words
- chats
- talks
- chatter
- natters
- chitchats
- dialogues
- patter
- chin music
- schmoozes
- palavers
- small talk
- discourses
- jaws
- gossip
- gabfests
- gab
- table talk
- debates
- cackle
- confabs
- confabulations
- causeries
- jangle
- tête-à-têtes
- backchat
- chin-wag
- exchanges
- conferences
- dialogs
- yammers
- yacks
- symposiums
- parleys
- colloquies
- symposia
- yaps
- yaks
- happy talk
- give-and-takes
- crosstalk
raps
3 of 6noun (3)
as in licks
the smallest amount or part imaginable I don't care a rap about losing that old jacket Synonyms & Similar Words
- licks
- damns
- hoots
- whits
- syllables
- little
- jots
- squats
- touches
- beans
- whoops
- diddly-squats
- ghosts
- doodly-squats
- bits
- doodley-squats
- continentals
- modicums
- hints
- darns
- durns
- tittles
- nips
- iotas
- figs
- diddlies
- glimmers
- dabs
- shadows
- pins
- sprinklings
- scraps
- snaps
- shreds
- ounces
- driblets
- rays
- specks
- strains
- shades
- traces
- peanuts
- particles
- spots
- scruples
- suspicions
- semblances
- aces
- skoshes
- smidgeons
- crumbs
- mites
- streaks
- smidges
- smidgens
- smidgins
raps
4 of 6verb (1)
1
as in slams
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner a childhood memory of the time he got his knuckles rapped for trying to steal candy from the corner store Synonyms & Similar Words
- slams
- slaps
- hits
- knocks
- smacks
- punches
- claps
- bangs
- clips
- strikes
- whacks
- swipes
- cracks
- bats
- pounds
- thumps
- bashes
- nails
- kicks
- bops
- jabs
- licks
- taps
- swats
- boxes
- hammers
- pokes
- flicks
- clouts
- thwacks
- stabs
- belts
- chops
- socks
- slugs
- bludgeons
- tags
- biffs
- shoves
- wallops
- busts
- clocks
- beats
- pushes
- bonks
- bobs
- zaps
- pastes
- whales
- smites
- bumps
- strokes
- clobbers
- slogs
- peppers
- mangles
- mauls
- cuffs
- knees
- pelts
- laces
- pummels
- batters
- buffets
- prods
- slashes
- butts
- whips
- decks
- bunts
- hangs one on
- roughs
- bungs
- stamps
- drubs
- jostles
- pommels
- dumps
- lashes
- lambasts
- lambastes
- levels
- scuffs
- cudgels
- switches
- floors
- clubs
- beans
- spears
- knocks down
- thrashes
- skulls
- canes
- creams
- flails
- brains
- conks
- sledgehammers
- flogs
- fells
- sledges
- saps
- sucker punches
- rabbit-punches
- bowls (down or over)
2
as in drums
to strike or cause to strike lightly and usually rhythmically the impatient man was rapping his knuckles on the door, hoping to wake up the sleeping attendant Synonyms & Similar Words
- drums
- taps
- bangs
- beats
- pats
- claps
- hits
- slams
- pounds
- knocks
- bats
- thumps
- bops
- smacks
- thwacks
- thuds
- bashes
- swats
- whacks
- socks
- clicks
- hammers
- wallops
- flicks
- bonks
- pastes
- clinks
- pings
- strikes
- clatters
- chinks
- tips
- chucks
- pitter-patters
- pit-a-pats
raps
5 of 6verb (2)
as in converses
to engage in casual or rambling conversation the guys at the gym never seem to tire about rapping about basketball Synonyms & Similar Words
- chats
- converses
- talks
- rattles
- gabs
- natters
- chatters
- jabbers
- prates
- cackles
- babbles
- prattles
- patters
- palavers
- schmoozes
- kibitzes
- gases
- gabbles
- discusses
- chins
- twitters
- blabs
- kibbitzes
- jaws
- visits
- shmoozes
- gasses
- chaffers
- gossips
- blows smoke
- tattles
- chews the rag
- chews the fat
- runs on
- shoots the breeze
- talks a blue streak
- expatiates
- yammers
- yacks
- yaps
- descants
- yaks
raps
6 of 6verb (3)
1
as in entrances
to fill with overwhelming emotion (as wonder or delight) concertgoers were utterly rapped by the power of Handel's oratorio Synonyms & Similar Words
- entrances
- delights
- raptures
- transports
- pleases
- enthrals
- ravishes
- enraptures
- enthralls
- satisfies
- carries away
- gratifies
- charms
- enchants
- fascinates
- elates
- knocks dead
- knocks one's socks off
- stirs
- captivates
- excites
- bewitches
- gladdens
- exhilarates
2
as in grabs
to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly suddenly the hawk swooped down and rapped the unwary rodent Synonyms & Similar Words
- grabs
- snatches
- catches
- lands
- hooks
- gets
- seizes
- traps
- captures
- snares
- nets
- snags
- grapples
- cops
- nails
- nabs
- bags
- corrals
- collars
- ropes
- nobbles
- arrests
- clutches
- gloves
- grasps
- gloms
- holds
- grips
- apprehends
- corners
- fists
- takes hold (of)
- meshes
- snaps (up)
- kidnaps
- secures
- clasps
- lassos
- abducts
- bays
- detains
- wrests
- rends
- entraps
- halters
- latches (on or onto)
- enmeshes
- entangles
- immeshes
- ensnares
- fastens (on)
- spirits (away or off)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- misses
- releases
- drops
- frees
- liberates
- discharges
- loosens
- unhands