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rap

rap

5 2.1
A short sharp knock on a surface to get attention
  • noun
  • /ræp/
: 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

knock
vsrap
242 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
strike
vsrap
75 2.3

A light blow given with the hand or a small tool

is broader and can be both sharp or only faintly felt
tapping
vsrap
72 1.9

A light repeated sound made by gentle knocks

can be a single sharp instance rather than a repeated series
tap
vsrap
57 1.0

A light touch or sound from a gentle hit

is similar but can be sharper as well as light
knocking
vsrap
37 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
whack
vsrap
35 6.3

A sharp, forceful hit that makes a loud sound

is usually less forceful and can be light instead of loud
pat
vsrap
7 2.1

A soft sound made by a light touch

tends to be firmer or more sharply heard than that soft touch
rat-tat
vsrap
5 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
rat-a-tat
vsrap
3 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
2 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
pong
vsrap
1 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
klop
vsrap
1 9.9

A short sharp knocking sound like a quick tap

is the ordinary sound of a real light or sharp hit

Antonyms

373 2.0

A period with no sound or speech

Idioms

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

1 6.9

Gently punish or criticize someone for a small mistake

Compounds

rap sheet
  • Jargon
44 7.6

A police list of a person's arrests and convictions

30 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 7.0

An informal musical gathering where rappers perform and freestyle over beats

rap session
  • Informal
1 7.7

An informal meeting where people openly share feelings and ideas

How Loud

slam
34 2.1
bang
390 1.3
knock
22 1.0
rap
5 2.1
tap
57 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.