From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishraprap1 /ræp/ noun 1 music [countable, uncountable] (also rap music)APM a type of popular music in which the words of a song are not sung, but spoken in time to music with a steady beat a popular rap song2 knock [countable]HIT a series of quick sharp hits or knocks → tap She was woken by a sharp rap on the door.3 crime [countable] American English informal a statement by the police saying that someone is responsible for a serious crime SYN chargemurder/robbery etc rap The kid’s been cited twice on drunk-driving raps. → rap sheet4 → take the rap (for something)5 → beat the rap6 → a rap on/over the knuckles7 → a bum/bad rap
Examples from the Corpus
rap• A few seconds later a rap on the side caused several sinuous silhouettes to leap back into the shadows.• There was a rap at the kitchen door.• Music ranges from funk and rap to house, but is always the last word in drop-dead cool.• The Roots rocked the house, bringing its own style of rap.• We heard a sharp rap on the door.• I just tell him to shut up and give him a sharp rap across the knuckles.• At the news conference, Bennett played the radio ads along with excerpts from the rap music in question.• What you hope he will do is to remain silent and let Preval make decisions and take the rap for unpopular choices.• Along with rap artists and basketball players, these are the black men the black boys look up to.raprap2 verb (rapped, rapping) 1 hit [intransitive, transitive]HIT to hit or knock something quickly several times → tap She rapped the table with her pen.rap on/at Angrily she rapped on his window.► see thesaurus at hit2 music [intransitive]APM to say the words of a rap song3 criticize [transitive]CRITICIZE to criticize someone angrily – used especially in news reports SYN slam a film rapped by critics for its excessive violence4 say (also rap out) [transitive]SHOUT to say something loudly, suddenly, and in a way that sounds angry ‘Come on, ’ he rapped impatiently.5 → rap somebody on/over the knuckles→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
rap• It raps a defector over the knuckles instantly but, after that, lets bygones be bygones.• Sammy was rapping about some guy in L.A.• Yoshinaka rapped an order at his men.• My consciousness was raised, my knuckles were rapped and I no longer write or think that way.• There was a small, delicate rapping at the door.• Nelson is being rapped for his team's loss.• He rapped gently on the wood.• L.L. Cool J raps on a new album of Disney songs.• Knuckles were rapping on the car windows, breath steaming the glass.• Creed went over and rapped on the top section, but there was no answer.• Seeing her son outside, Mrs Evans rapped on the window and called him back into the house.• The conductor rapped the music stand with his baton and the violins stopped playing.• She rapped the table with her pen and called for silence.rap on/at• Angrily she rapped on his window.• Knuckles were rapping on the car windows, breath steaming the glass.• Toward afternoon, he rapped on the dividing window and asked the chauffeur to stop.• Later that night, with Jammie and Helen behind me, I rapped on the door of Dad's room.• The rap on the door was hard and curt.• Ma Three quick raps on the kitchen door tugged her back.• Some one was out in the lobby rapping on the tin doors.• Creed went over and rapped on the top section, but there was no answer.Origin rap1 1. (1900-2000) Perhaps from repartee2. (1200-1300) Probably from the sound 