RAP (rapped, rapping)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected forms: rapped    , rapping   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does rap mean? 

• RAP (noun)
  The noun RAP has 6 senses:

1. a reproach for some lapse or misdeed

2. a gentle blow

3. the sound made by a gentle blow

4. voluble conversation

5. genre of African-American music of the 1980s and 1990s in which rhyming lyrics are chanted to a musical accompaniment; several forms of rap have emerged

6. the act of hitting vigorously

  Familiarity information: RAP used as a noun is common.

• RAP (verb)
  The verb RAP has 4 senses:

1. strike sharply

2. make light, repeated taps on a surface

3. perform rap music

4. talk volubly

  Familiarity information: RAP used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• RAP (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A reproach for some lapse or misdeed

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

blame; rap

Context example:

it was a bum rap

Hypernyms ("rap" is a kind of...):

reproach (a mild rebuke or criticism)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A gentle blow

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

rap; strike; tap

Hypernyms ("rap" is a kind of...):

blow; bump (an impact (as from a collision))

Derivation:

rap (strike sharply)

rap (make light, repeated taps on a surface)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The sound made by a gentle blow

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

pat; rap; tap

Hypernyms ("rap" is a kind of...):

sound (the sudden occurrence of an audible event)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "rap"):

pitter-patter (a series of rapid tapping sounds)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Voluble conversation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("rap" is a kind of...):

conversation (the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.)

Domain usage:

colloquialism (a colloquial expression; characteristic of spoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speech)

Derivation:

rap (talk volubly)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Genre of African-American music of the 1980s and 1990s in which rhyming lyrics are chanted to a musical accompaniment; several forms of rap have emerged

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

hip-hop; rap; rap music

Hypernyms ("rap" is a kind of...):

African-American music; black music (music created by African-American musicians; early forms were songs that had a melodic line and a strong rhythmic beat with repeated choruses)

popular music; popular music genre (any genre of music having wide appeal (but usually only for a short time))

Derivation:

rap (perform rap music)

Sense 6

Meaning:

The act of hitting vigorously

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

belt; knock; rap; whack; whang

Context example:

he gave the table a whack

Hypernyms ("rap" is a kind of...):

blow (a powerful stroke with the fist or a weapon)

Derivation:

rap (strike sharply)

• RAP (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they rap    ... he / she / it raps   
Past simple: rapped   
Past participle: rapped   
-ing form: rapping   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Strike sharply

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

knap; rap

Context example:

rap him on the knuckles

Hypernyms (to "rap" is one way to...):

strike (deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "rap"):

knock (rap with the knuckles)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something PP
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

rap (the act of hitting vigorously)

rap (a gentle blow)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make light, repeated taps on a surface

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

knock; pink; rap; tap

Context example:

he was tapping his fingers on the table impatiently

Hypernyms (to "rap" is one way to...):

go; sound (make a certain noise or sound)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

rap (a gentle blow)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Perform rap music

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "rap" is one way to...):

perform (give a performance (of something))

Domain category:

music (musical activity (singing or whistling etc.))

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

rap (genre of African-American music of the 1980s and 1990s in which rhyming lyrics are chanted to a musical accompaniment; several forms of rap have emerged)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Talk volubly

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "rap" is one way to...):

speak; talk (exchange thoughts; talk with)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Sentence example:

Sam and Sue rap

Derivation:

rap (voluble conversation)

 Context examples 

“Well! If you was writin' to her, p'raps you'd recollect to say that Barkis was willin'; would you?”

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

After that I don’t give a rap what happens.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

In this manner they had continued about a quarter of an hour, when Marianne, whose nerves could not then bear any sudden noise, was startled by a rap at the door.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

He rapped his knuckles again as he tried to pick it up.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

"An' I bet," Martin dashed on, that he's solemn an' serious as an old owl, an' doesn't care a rap for a good time, for all his thirty thousand a year.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

In the midst of the uproar there was an imperative rap upon the table, and my uncle rose to speak.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Then he rapped on the door with a bit of stick like a handspike that he carried, and when my father appeared, called roughly for a glass of rum.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

"Sambar deer generally have quite a bad rap in these forests," McConkey said.

(Thai Elephants Help Spread Jungle Fruit's Seeds, Sadie Witkowski/VOA)

Then he said good-bye to them all in a cheerful voice and went to the Throne Room, where he rapped upon the door.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

The word 'limes' was like fire to powder, his yellow face flushed, and he rapped on his desk with an energy which made Jenny skip to her seat with unusual rapidity.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)