raps

12 definitions • 13 examples

a type of popular music with a strong rhythm in which the words are spoken, not sung:

a rap artist/star

a statement accusing someone of a crime, or the punishment that someone is given for a crime:

He always said he was jailed on a bum rap (= false accusation).

The police caught him, but somehow he managed to beat the rap (= escape punishment).

I'm not going to take the rap for you (= be punished for something you did).

a judgment or a reaction:

The new show got a bum/bad rap (= was severely criticized) in all the papers.

a sudden short noise, especially one made by hitting a hard surface:

There was a series of raps on the window.

to hit or say something suddenly and forcefully:

She rapped (on) the table to get everyone's attention.

The colonel rapped (out) an order to his men.

to criticize someone, especially officially:

The headline read "Judge raps police".

to perform rap

to hit suddenly and forcefully:

[ I ] We heard him rap on the door.

[ T ] She rapped the table to get everyone’s attention.

to perform the type of popular music of African-American origin that features rhythmic speaking set to a strong beat:

On his new album he raps about his hard life and hard times.

a type of popular music of African-American origin that features rhythmic speaking set to a strong beat

an accusation that someone has committed a crime, or punishment for a crime

a judgment, report, or reputation:

The smell of the Great Salt Lake has given it a bad rap.