subs. and verb. (old).—Quick, forcible, explosive action: generic: e.g. (1) a blow; ‘a Polt on the pate, and a hard knocking at a Door’ (B. E., c. 1696); (2) a FART (q.v.); (3) an oath or exclamation (also RAPPER); and (4) a severe reprimand: as a RAP ON (or OVER) THE FINGERS, KNUCKLES, &c. Hence, as verb. = (1) to strike smartly or to speak forcibly (espec. to reprimand): usually with OFF or OUT; (2) to break wind; (3) to swear; (4) to perjure oneself: to deal a blow at one’s honor or another’s reputation (GROSE, 1785). Also ON THE RAP = on the SPREE (q.v.); IN A RAP = in a moment; RAPFULLY = violently; RAPPED = (1) ruined; (2) knocked out of time; and (3) killed.
1512–3. DOUGLAS, Virgil, 74, 13. The broken skyis RAPPIS furth thunderis leuin.
d. 1549. A. BORDE, A Mery Jest of the Mylner of Abyngton [HAZLITT, Remains of the Early Popular Poetry of England, III. 115].
| His wife lent him suche a RAPPE, | |
| That stil on grounde he laie. |
1534. UDALL, Roister Doister, IV. iii.
| To speede we are not like, | |
| Except ye RAPPE out a ragge of your Rhetorike. |
c. 1577. GASCOIGNE, Works [CHALMERS, ii. 486, ‘In Praise of Lady Sandes’]. He … sodainly with mighty mace gan RAP hir on the pate.
1582. STANYHURST, Æneis, iii. 566. And a seabelch grounting on rough rocks RAPFULYE frapping.
1591. GREENE, The Second Part of Conny-catching [Works, x. 99]. He began to chafe, and to sweare, and to RAP OUT gogges Nownes.
1593. SHAKESPEARE, Taming of the Shrew, i. 2. 12.
| Pet. Villain, I say, knock me at this gate, | |
| And RAP me well, or I’ll knock your knave’s pate. | |
| Ibid. | |
| And RAP him soundly, sir. |
1620. PERCY, Folio MSS., ‘Ffryar and Boye.’ 104. I would shee might a RAPP let goe that might ring through the place.
1612. SHELTON, trans. Don Quixote, iv. 18. He RAPPED out a round oath or two.
1712. ARBUTHNOT, The History of John Bull [T. L. KINGTON-OLIPHANT, The New English, ii. 155. The new substantives are … yellow-boy, … RAP OVER THE FINGER ENDS …].
1743. FIELDING, Jonathan Wild, I. xiii. It was his constant maxim, that he was a pitiful fellow who would stick at a little RAPPING for his friend.
1749. SMOLLETT, Gil Blas [ROUTLEDGE], 216. The sheepish acquiescence of a man who stood in awe of an ecclesiastical RAP ON THE KNUCKLES.
1751. FIELDING, Amelia, I. x. Though I never saw the lady in my life, she need not be shy of us: d—n me! I scorn to rap against any lady. [Note. Rap: a cant word, meaning to swear, or rather perjure yourself.]
1818. SCOTT, The Heart of Mid-lothian, xx. When three words of your mouth would give the girl the chance to nick Moll Blood, that you make such scrupling about RAPPING [swearing] to them.
1839. THACKERAY, The Fatal Boots (August). I RAPPED OUT a good number of oaths.
1861. G. ELIOT, Silas Marner, iv. Dunstan … was always RAPPING his whip somewhere.
1879. J. W. HORSLEY, ‘Autobiography of a Thief,’ in Macmillan’s Magazine, XL. 501. I said, “All right,” but he RAPPED “It is not all right.”
1888. G. R. SIMS, A Plank Bed Ballad [Referee, 12 Feb.]. And he RAPPED, I shall just turn you over.
1888. BOLDREWOOD, Robbery under Arms, xxiii. If he tries to draw a weapon, or move ever so little, he’s RAPPED at that second.
1893. MILLIKEN, ’Arry Ballads, 51, ‘In Switzerland.’ And the way as the passengers stared at me showed I wos fair ON THE RAP.
1897. MARY H. KINGSLEY, Travels in West Africa, 390. A severe RAP ON MY moral KNUCKLES from my conscience.
5. (old).—A counterfeit Irish coin nominally worth a halfpenny, but intrinsically less than half a farthing: proclaimed May 5th, 1737. Hence (6) the smallest unit of value: see CARE and WORTH; and (7) a cheat (Scots’); whence RAPLESS = penniless, STONY (q.v.).—GROSE (1785).
1724. SWIFT, Drapier’s Letters [FAULKNER (1735), iv. 66]. Many counterfeits passed about under the name of RAPS.
1821. W. T. MONCRIEFF, Tom and Jerry, i. 7. I could have betted every RAP—six quid to four——
1834. W. H. AINSWORTH, Rookwood, v., ‘The Game of High Toby.’ For the mare-with-three-legs, boys, I care not a RAP.
1900. PERCY WHITE, The West End, 283. ‘I always thought Delane had settled a handsome sum on her.’… ‘Delane never offered her a ‘RAP.’ She wouldn’t accept it if he did.’
1902. The Sporting Times, 1 Feb., 1, 4. But for my point of view Susie cared not a RAP.
Verb. (old).—1. See subs. 1.
2. (old).—To barter; to SWOP (q.v.).—B. E. (c. 1696); GROSE (1785).
