Rap - Rarity

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Ranz des vaches (räNs d� vȧsh). [F., the ranks or rows of cows, the name being given from the fact that the cattle, when answering the musical call of their keeper, move towards him in a row, preceded by those wearing bells.] The name for numerous simple, but very irregular, melodies of the Swiss mountaineers, blown on a long tube called the Alpine horn, and sometimes sung.
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Rap (răp), n. [Etymol. uncertain.] A lay or skein containing 120 yards of yarn. Knight.
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Rap, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Rapped (răpt); p. pr. & vb. n. Rapping.] [Akin to Sw. rappa to strike, rapp stroke, Dan. rap, perhaps of imitative origin.] To strike with a quick, sharp blow; to knock; as, to rap on the door.
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Rap, v. t. 1. To strike with a quick blow; to knock on.
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With one great peal they rap the door. Prior.
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2. (Founding) To free (a pattern) in a mold by light blows on the pattern, so as to facilitate its removal.
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Rap, n. A quick, smart blow; a knock.
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Rap, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Rapped (răpt), usually written Rapt; p. pr. & vb. n. Rapping.] [OE. rapen; akin to LG. & D. rapen to snatch, G. raffen, Sw. rappa; cf. Dan. rappe sig to make haste, and Icel. hrapa to fall, to rush, hurry. The word has been confused with L. rapere to seize. Cf. robbery, , , v., , v.] 1. To snatch away; to seize and hurry off.
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And through the Greeks and Ilians they rapt
The whirring chariot. Chapman.
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From Oxford I was rapt by my nephew, Sir Edmund Bacon, to Redgrove. Sir H. Wotton.
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2. To hasten. [Obs.] Piers Plowman.
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3. To seize and bear away, as the mind or thoughts; to transport out of one's self; to affect with ecstasy or rapture; as, rapt into admiration.
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I'm rapt with joy to see my Marcia's tears. Addison.
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Rapt into future times, the bard begun. Pope.
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4. To exchange; to truck. [Obs. & Low]
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5. To engage in a discussion, converse.
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6. (ca. 1985) to perform a type of rhythmic talking, often with accompanying rhythm instruments. It is considered by some as a type of music; see .
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Coloq. To rap and ren , Coloq. To rap and rend . [Perhaps fr. Icel. hrapa to hurry and ræna plunder, fr. rān plunder, E. ran.] To seize and plunder; to snatch by violence. Dryden. “[Ye] waste all that ye may rape and renne.” Chaucer.
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All they could rap and rend and pilfer. Hudibras.
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-- Coloq. To rap out , to utter with sudden violence, as an oath.
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A judge who rapped out a great oath. Addison.
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Rap, n. [Perhaps contr. fr. raparee.] A popular name for any of the tokens that passed current for a half-penny in Ireland in the early part of the eighteenth century; any coin of trifling value.
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Many counterfeits passed about under the name of raps. Swift.
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Tie it [her money] up so tight that you can't touch a rap, save with her consent. Mrs. Alexander.
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Coloq. Not to care a rap , to care nothing. -- Coloq. Not worth a rap , worth nothing.
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Rap, n. 1. conversation; also, rapping.
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2. (ca. 1985) a type of rhythmic talking, often with accompanying rhythm instruments; rap music.
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Rapaces (rȧpāsēz), n. pl. [NL. See .] (Zoöl.) Same as .
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Rapacious (rȧpāshŭs), a. [L. rapax, -acis, from rapere to seize and carry off, to snatch away. See .]
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1. Given to plunder; disposed or accustomed to seize by violence; seizing by force. “ The downfall of the rapacious and licentious Knights Templar.” Motley.
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2. Accustomed to seize food; subsisting on prey, or animals seized by violence; as, a tiger is a rapacious animal; a rapacious bird.
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3. Avaricious; grasping; extortionate; also, greedy; ravenous; voracious; as, rapacious usurers; a rapacious appetite.
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[Thy Lord] redeem thee quite from Death's rapacious claim Milton.
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Syn. -- Greedy; grasping; ravenous; voracious.
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-- Rapaciously, adv. -- Rapaciousness, n.
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Rapacity (rȧpăsĭt�), n. [L. rapacitas: cf. F. rapacité. See .] 1. The quality of being rapacious; rapaciousness; ravenousness; as, the rapacity of pirates; the rapacity of wolves.
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2. The act or practice of extorting or exacting by oppressive injustice; exorbitant greediness of gain. “The rapacity of some ages.” Sprat.
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Raparee (răpȧrē), n. See .
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Rape (rāp), n. [F. râpe a grape stalk.] 1. Fruit, as grapes, plucked from the cluster. Ray.
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2. The refuse stems and skins of grapes or raisins from which the must has been expressed in wine making.
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3. A filter containing the above refuse, used in clarifying and perfecting malt, vinegar, etc.
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Coloq. Rape wine , a poor, thin wine made from the last dregs of pressed grapes.
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Rape, n. [Akin to rap to snatch, but confused with L. rapere. See to snatch.] 1. The act of seizing and carrying away by force; violent seizure; robbery.
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And ruined orphans of thy rapes complain. Sandys.
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2. (Law) Sexual connection with a woman without her consent. See Age of consent, under , n.
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3. That which is snatched away. [Obs.]
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Where now are all my hopes? O, never more
Shall they revive! nor death her rapes restore. Sandys.
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4. Movement, as in snatching; haste; hurry. [Obs.]
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5. (Fig., Colloq.) An action causing results harmful to a person or thing; as, the rape of the land by mining companies.
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Rape, v. t. 1. To commit rape upon; to ravish.
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2. (Fig., Colloq.) To perform an action causing results harmful or very unpleasant to a person or thing; as, women raped first by their assailants, and then by the Justice system. Corresponds to 2nd , n. 5.
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Coloq. To rape and ren . See under , v. t., to snatch.
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Rape, v. i. To rob; to pillage. [Obs.] Heywood.
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Rape, n. [Icel. hreppr village, district; cf. Icel. hreppa to catch, obtain, AS. hrepian, hreppan, to touch.] One of six divisions of the county of Sussex, England, intermediate between a hundred and a shire.
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Rape, n. [L. rapa, rapum, akin to Gr. rapys, rafys, G. rübe.] (Bot.) A name given to a variety or to varieties of a plant of the turnip kind, grown for seeds and herbage. The seeds are used for the production of rape oil, and to a limited extent for the food of cage birds.
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☞ These plants, with the edible turnip, have been variously named, but are all now believed to be derived from the Brassica campestris of Europe, which by some is not considered distinct from the wild stock (Brassica oleracea) of the cabbage. See .
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Coloq. Broom rape . (Bot.) See , in the Vocabulary. -- Coloq. Rape cake , the refuse remaining after the oil has been expressed from the rape seed. -- Coloq. Rape root . Same as . -- Coloq. Summer rape . (Bot.) See .
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Rapeful (rāpfụl), a. 1. Violent. [Obs.]
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2. Given to the commission of rape. Byron.
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Rapfully (răpfụll�), adv. Violently. [Obs.]
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Raphaelesque (răfȧĕlĕsk), a. Like Raphael's works; in Raphael's manner of painting.
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Raphaelism (răfȧĕlĭz'm), n. The principles of painting introduced by Raphael, the Italian painter.
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Raphaelite (răfȧĕlīt), n. One who advocates or adopts the principles of Raphaelism.
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Raphany (răfȧn�), n. [Cf. F. raphanie.] (Med.) A convulsive disease, attended with ravenous hunger, not uncommon in Sweden and Germany. It was so called because supposed to be caused by eating corn with which seeds of jointed charlock (Raphanus raphanistrum) had been mixed, but the condition is now known to be a form of ergotism.
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Raphe (rāf�), n. [NL., fr. Gr. rafh a seam or suture, fr. raptein to sew or stitch together.] 1. (Anat.) A line, ridge, furrow, or band of fibers, especially in the median line; as, the raphe of the tongue.
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2. (Bot.) Same as .
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Raphides (răfĭdēz), n. pl. [F. raphide.] (Bot.) See .
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Rapid (răpĭd), a. [L. rapidus, fr. rapere to seize and carry off, to snatch or hurry away; perhaps akin to Gr. 'arpazein: cf. F. rapide. Cf. , .]
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1. Very swift or quick; moving with celerity; fast; as, a rapid stream; a rapid flight; a rapid motion.
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Ascend my chariot; guide the rapid wheels. Milton.
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2. Advancing with haste or speed; speedy in progression; in quick sequence; as, rapid growth; rapid improvement; rapid recurrence; rapid succession.
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3. Quick in execution; as, a rapid penman.
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Rapid, n. [Cf. F. rapide. See , a.] The part of a river where the current moves with great swiftness, but without actual waterfall or cascade; sometimes called whitewater; -- usually used in the plural; as, the Lachine rapids in the St. Lawrence.
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Row, brothers, row, the stream runs fast,
The rapids are near, and the daylight's past. Moore.
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{ Rapid-fire, Rapid-firing }, a. (a) (Gun.) Firing shots in rapid succession. (b) (Ordnance) Capable of being fired rapidly; -- applied to single-barreled guns of greater caliber than small arms, mounted so as to be quickly trained and elevated, with a quick-acting breech mechanism operated by a single motion of a crank or lever (abbr. R. F.); specif.: (1) In the United States navy, designating such a gun using fixed ammunition or metallic cartridge cases; -- distinguished from breech-loading (abbr. B. L.), applied to all guns loading with the charge in bags, and formerly from quick-fire. Rapid-fire guns in the navy also sometimes include automatic or semiautomatic rapid-fire guns; the former being automatic guns of not less than one inch caliber, firing a shell of not less than one pound weight, the explosion of each cartridge operating the mechanism for ejecting the empty shell, loading, and firing the next shot, the latter being guns that require one operation of the hand at each discharge, to load the gun. (2) In the United States army, designating such a gun, whether using fixed or separate ammunition, designed chiefly for use in coast batteries against torpedo vessels and the lightly armored batteries or other war vessels and for the protection of defensive mine fields; -- not distinguished from quick-fire. (3) In Great Britain and Europe used, rarely, as synonymous with quick-fire.
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Rapid-fire mount. (Ordnance) A mount permitting easy and quick elevation or depression and training of the gun, and fitted with a device for taking up the recoil.
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Rapidity (rȧpĭdĭt�), n. [L. rapiditas: cf. F. rapidité.] The quality or state of being rapid; swiftness; celerity; velocity; as, the rapidity of a current; rapidity of speech; rapidity of growth or improvement.
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Syn. -- Rapidness; haste; speed; celerity; velocity; swiftness; fleetness; quickness; agility.
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Rapidly (răpĭdl�), adv. In a rapid manner.
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Rapidness, n. Quality of being rapid; rapidity.
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Rapier (rāpĭẽr), n. [F. rapière, perhaps for raspière, and ultimately of German origin, akin to E. rasp, v.] A straight sword, with a narrow and finely pointed blade, used only for thrusting.
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Coloq. Rapier fish (Zoöl.), the swordfish. [Obs.] Grew.
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Rapiered (-ẽrd), a. Wearing a rapier. “Scarletcoated, rapiered figures.” Lowell.
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Rapilli (rȧpĭll�), n. pl. [It.] (Min.) Lapilli.
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Rapine (răpĭn), n. [F. rapine; cf. Pr. & It. rapina; all fr. L. rapina, fr. rapere to seize and carry off by force. See , and cf. rapine.] 1. The act of plundering; the seizing and carrying away of things by force; spoliation; pillage; plunder.
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Men who were impelled to war quite as much by the desire of rapine as by the desire of glory. Macaulay.
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2. Ravishment; rape. [Obs.] Shak.
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Rapine, v. t. To plunder. Sir G. Buck.
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Rapinous (răpĭnŭs), a. Given to rapine. [Obs.]
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rap music (răp mūzĭk), n. (ca. 1985) a type of rhythmic talking, often with accompanying rhythm instruments; same as 7th , n..
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Rappage (răpp�j; 48), n. (Founding) The enlargement of a mold caused by rapping the pattern.
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Rapparee (-pȧrē), n. A wild Irish plunderer, esp. one of the 17th century; -- so called from his carrying a half-pike, called a rapary. [Written also raparee.]
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Rapped (răpt), imp. & p. p. of , to strike.
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Rapped, imp. & p. p. of , to snatch away.
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Rappee (răppē), n. [F. râpé, fr. râper to grate, to rasp. See , v.] A pungent kind of snuff made from the darker and ranker kinds of tobacco leaves.
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Rappel (răppĕl or răppĕl), n. [F. Cf. .] (Mil.) The beat of the drum to call soldiers to arms.
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Rapper (răppẽr), n. [From .] 1. One who, or that which, raps or knocks; specifically, the knocker of a door. Sterne.
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2. A forcible oath or lie. [Slang] Bp. Parker.
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3. A musician specializing in .
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Rapport (răppōrt; F. rȧpôr), n. [F., fr. rapporter to bring again or back, to refer; pref. re- re- + apporter to bring, L. apportare. Cf. .] Relation; proportion; conformity; correspondence; accord.
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'T is obvious what rapport there is between the conceptions and languages in every country. Sir W. Temple.
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Coloq. En rapport (äN rȧpôr) [F.], in accord, harmony, or sympathy; having a mutual, especially a private, understanding; in mesmerism, in that relation of sympathy which permits influence or communication.
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Rapprochement (?), n. [F., fr. rapprocher to cause to approach again. See ; .] Act or fact of coming or being drawn near or together; establishment or state of cordial relations.
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He had witnessed the gradual rapprochement between the papacy and Austria. Wilfrid Ward.
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Rapscallion (răpskălyŭn), n. [See .] A rascal; a good-for-nothing fellow. [Colloq.] Howitt.
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Rapt (răpt), imp. & p. p. of , to snatch away.
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Rapt, a. 1. Snatched away; hurried away or along.
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Waters rapt with whirling away. Spenser.
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2. Transported with love, admiration, delight, etc.; enraptured. “The rapt musician.” Longfellow.
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3. Wholly absorbed or engrossed, as in work or meditation. “Rapt in secret studies.” Shak.
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Rapt, n. [From F. rapt abduction, rape, L. raptus, fr. rapere to seize and carry off, to transport; or fr. E. rapt, a. See , a., and .] 1. An ecstasy; a trance. [Obs.] Bp. Morton.
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2. Rapidity. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.
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Rapt, v. t. 1. To transport or ravish. [Obs.] Drayton.
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2. To carry away by force. [Obs.] Daniel.
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Rapter (răptẽr), n. A raptor. [Obs.] Drayton.
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Raptor (răptẽr), n. [L. raptor, from rapere to ravish. See .] A ravisher; a plunderer. [Obs.]
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Raptores (răptōrēz), n. pl. [NL. See .] (Zoöl.) An order of birds, same as . Called also Raptatores.
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Raptorial (răptōrĭ�l), a. (Zoöl.) (a) Rapacious; living upon prey; -- said especially of certain birds. (b) Adapted for seizing prey; -- said of the legs, claws, etc., of insects, birds, and other animals. (c) Of or pertaining to the Raptores. See Illust. (f) of .
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Raptorious (răptōrĭŭs), a. [L. raptorius.] (Zoöl.) Raptorial.
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Rapture (răpt�r; 135), n. [L. rapere, raptum, to carry off by force. See .] 1. A seizing by violence; a hurrying along; rapidity with violence. [Obs.]
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That 'gainst a rock, or flat, her keel did dash
With headlong rapture. Chapman.
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2. The state or condition of being rapt, or carried away from one's self by agreeable excitement; violence of a pleasing passion; extreme joy or pleasure; ecstasy.
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Music, when thus applied, raises in the mind of the hearer great conceptions; it strengthens devotion, and advances praise into rapture. Addison.
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You grow correct that once with rapture writ. Pope.
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3. A spasm; a fit; a syncope; delirium. [Obs.] Shak.
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Syn. -- Bliss; ecstasy; transport; delight; exultation.
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Rapture, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Raptured (-t�rd; 135); p. pr. & vb. n. Rapturing.] To transport with excitement; to enrapture. [Poetic] Thomson.
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Rapturist, n. An enthusiast. [Obs.] J. Spencer.
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Rapturize (-īz), v. t. & i. To put, or be put, in a state of rapture. [R.]
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Rapturous (-ŭs), a. Ecstatic; transporting; ravishing; feeling, expressing, or manifesting rapture; as, rapturous joy, pleasure, or delight; rapturous applause.
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Rapturously, adv. In a rapturous manner.
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Rare (râr), a. [Cf. , .] Early. [Obs.]
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Rude mechanicals that rare and late
Work in the market place. Chapman.
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Rare, a. [Compar. Rarer (rârẽr); superl. Rarest.] [Cf. AS. hrēr, or E. rare early. √18.] Nearly raw; partially cooked; not thoroughly cooked; underdone; as, rare beef or mutton.
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New-laid eggs, which Baucis' busy care
Turned by a gentle fire, and roasted rare. Dryden.
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☞ This word is in common use in the United States, but in England its synonym underdone is preferred.
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Rare, a. [Compar. Rarer (rârẽr); superl. Rarest.] [F., fr. L. rarus thin, rare.] 1. Not frequent; seldom met with or occurring; unusual; as, a rare event.
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2. Of an uncommon nature; unusually excellent; valuable to a degree seldom found.
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Rare work, all filled with terror and delight. Cowley.
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Above the rest I judge one beauty rare. Dryden.
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3. Thinly scattered; dispersed.
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Those rare and solitary, these in flocks. Milton.
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4. Characterized by wide separation of parts; of loose texture; not thick or dense; thin; as, a rare atmosphere at high elevations.
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Water is nineteen times lighter, and by consequence nineteen times rarer, than gold. Sir I. Newton.
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Syn. -- Scarce; infrequent; unusual; uncommon; singular; extraordinary; incomparable. -- , . We call a thing rare when but few examples, specimens, or instances of it are ever to be met with; as, a rare plant. We speak of a thing as scarce, which, though usually abundant, is for the time being to be had only in diminished quantities; as, a bad harvest makes corn scarce.
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A perfect union of wit and judgment is one of the rarest things in the world. Burke.
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When any particular piece of money grew very scarce, it was often recoined by a succeeding emperor. Addison.
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Rarebit (rârbĭt), n. A dainty morsel; a Welsh rabbit. See Welsh rabbit, under .
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Raree-show (râr�-shō), n. [Contr. fr. rarity-show.] A show carried about in a box; a peep show. Pope.
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Rarefaction (răr�făkshŭn), n. [Cf. F. raréfaction. See .] The act or process of rarefying; the state of being rarefied; -- opposed to condensation; as, the rarefaction of air.
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Rarefiable (răr�fīȧb'l), a. [Cf. F. raréfiable.] Capable of being rarefied. Boyle.
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Rarefy (răr�fī; 277), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Rarefied (răr�fīd); p. pr. & vb. n. Rarefying (răr�fīĭng).] [F. raréfier; L. rarus rare + -ficare (in comp.) to make; cf. L. rarefacere. See .] To make rare, thin, porous, or less dense; to expand or enlarge without adding any new portion of matter to; -- opposed to condense.
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Rarefy, v. i. To become less dense; to become thin and porous. “Earth rarefies to dew.” Dryden.
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Rarely (rârl�), adv. 1. In a rare manner or degree; seldom; not often; as, things rarely seen.
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2. Finely; excellently; with rare skill. See 3d , 2.
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The person who played so rarely on the flageolet. Sir W. Scott.
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The rest of the apartments are rarely gilded. Evelyn.
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Rareness, n. The state or quality of being rare.
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And let the rareness the small gift commend. Dryden.
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Rareripe (-rīp), a. [Rare early + ripe. Cf. .] Early ripe; ripe before others, or before the usual season.
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Rareripe, n. An early ripening fruit, especially a kind of freestone peach.
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Rarification (rărĭfĭkāshŭn), n. See . [R.] Am. Chem. Journal.
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Rarity (rărĭt�; 277), n.; pl. Rarities (rărĭtĭz). [L. raritas: cf. F. rareté. See .] 1. The quality or state of being rare; rareness; thinness; as, the rarity (contrasted with the density) of gases.
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