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rap

rap

25 2.1
A short sharp knock on a surface to get attention
  • noun
  • /ræp/
translation icon : golpe
  • There is a knock at the door, a gentle little rap at the door.

Is it a pat pat rub rub pat pat rap or a it's more of like a Rabbat.

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Examples

  • There was a peremptory rap on the door behind me.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • There was a sharp rap on the kitchen porthole.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • There was a rap at the door, but it was faint.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • A soft rap on the door drew Courtney away from her thoughts.

  • There was a second pair of raps, this time more insistent.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • My conjecture was cut short by a sudden but deferential rap at the door.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • A series of sharp raps on the hull, followed by a tearing sound.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • A sharp rap on the door caused Larissa to bolt upright, wide awake though completely disoriented.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • She's adjusting the waistband of her skirt when she hears an insistent rap on the door.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • She gave the door a light rap to let them know she had arrived.

Synonyms

whack
vsrap
119 6.3

A sharp, forceful hit that makes a loud sound

is usually less forceful and can be light instead of loud
knock
vsrap
81 1.3

A short sharp sound made by hitting a surface or by a machine problem

is often lighter or less forceful than that direct hit
tap
vsrap
66 1.0

A light touch or sound from a gentle hit

is similar but can be sharper as well as light
pat
vsrap
24 2.1

A soft sound made by a light touch

tends to be firmer or more sharply heard than that soft touch
tapping
vsrap
22 1.9

A light repeated sound made by gentle knocks

can be a single sharp instance rather than a repeated series
strike
vsrap
17 2.3

A light blow given with the hand or a small tool

is broader and can be both sharp or only faintly felt
pong
vsrap
15 7.3

A short, sharp sound when a ball or small thing hits a hard surface

may be quieter or less percussive than that bounce noise
knocking
vsrap
8 2.2

A sharp repeated sound from a door or machine when parts hit each other

is normally a single sharp or light instance rather than repeated
rat-a-tat
vsrap
1 7.6

A quick series of short, sharp taps like knocking or drumbeats

can be a single sharp or light hit instead of a rapid series
1 9.0

A series of short, sharp tapping sounds like knocking on a door

may refer to one brief sharp or light contact rather than many
rat-tat
vsrap
1 7.7

A series of quick, sharp knocks often on a door or drum

can denote a single brief sound rather than a quick sequence
klop
vsrap
9.9

A short sharp knocking sound like a quick tap

is the ordinary sound of a real light or sharp hit

Antonyms

660 2.0

A period with no sound or speech

Idioms

6.9

Gently punish or criticize someone for a small mistake

To tell someone they are wrong in a mild, formal way

Compounds

rap sheet
  • Jargon
38 7.6

A police list of a person's arrests and convictions

26 2.3

Music with fast rhyming speech spoken over a beat

bum rap
  • Informal
8 9.1

Unfair blame or punishment for something you did not do

rap session
  • Informal
1 7.7

An informal meeting where people openly share feelings and ideas

rap session
  • Informal
1 7.0

An informal musical gathering where rappers perform and freestyle over beats

How Loud

slam
85 2.1
bang
237 1.3
knock
32 1.0
rap
25 2.1
tap
66 1.0

Surface Forms

rap singular
raps plural

Etymology

Rap for a sharp knock comes from an old sound word that copies the quick noise 'rap'. So a rap is a short, sharp knock.