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. [* A cant word meaning to swear, or rather perjure yourself.]
1768. Ross, Helenore, 116. Honest Jean brings forth in a rap The green-horn cutties rattling in her lap.
1818. Scott, Midlothian, xx. When three words of your mouth would give the girl the chance . . . you make such scruple about rapping [swearing] to them.
1839. Thackeray, Fatal Boots (August). I rapped out a good number of oaths.
1861. Eliot, Silas Marner, iv. Dunstan . . . was always rapping his whip somewhere.
1879. Auto. of Thief [Macm. Mag., xl. 501]. I said, "All right," but he rapped "It is not all right."
1888. Sims, 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. The way the passengers stared at me showed I was fair on the rap.
1897. Mary Kingsley, W. 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.
1823. Moncrieff, Tom and Jerry, i. 7. I could have betted every rap—six quid to four
1834. Ainsworth, Game of High Toby [Rookwood]. For the mare-with-three-legs, boys, I care not a rap.
1900. White, 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. Sp. 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).
Rape, subs. (back slang).—A pear.
Rapparee, subs. (old).—1. An Irish
robber or outlaw; whence (2) a
vagabond. [Malone: They
armed themselves with a rapparee
or half-pike.]—B. E. (c. 1696);
Grose (1785).
Rapper, subs. (common).—1. A
lie; a whopper (q.v.).—B. E.
(c. 1696); Grose (1785). Also
(2), see rap, sense 1. Whence
rapping = very.
d. 1688. Parker, Rep. of Rehers. Transp., 200. Though this is no flower of the sun, yet I am sure it is something that deserves to be called a rapper.
Rapscallion (Rascallion, Rabscallion,
Ramscallion, or
Rascabilian), subs. (old).—A
worthless wretch. Hence rapscallionry,
&c. = the world of
rascaldom. Also as adj.
1622. Breton, Strange Newes, 6. Makes no little gaine of rascabilians.
1663. Butler, Hudibras, i. iii. 327. Used him so like a base rascallion.
1703. Ward, London Spy, v. 110. And there we saw a parcel of Ragged Rapscallions, mounted upon Scrubbed Tits.
