Word Study
rasp
CIDE DICTIONARY
rasp, v. t. [OF. rasper, F. râper, to scrape, grate, rasp, fr. OHG. rasp to scrape together, to collect, probably akin to E. rap. Cf. Rap to snatch.].
- To rub or file with a rasp; to rub or grate with a rough file; as, to rasp wood to make it smooth; to rasp bones to powder. [1913 Webster]
- Hence, figuratively: To grate harshly upon; to offend by coarse or rough treatment or language; as, some sounds rasp the ear; his insults rasped my temper. [1913 Webster]
- A coarse file, on which the cutting prominences are distinct points raised by the oblique stroke of a sharp punch, instead of lines raised by a chisel, as on the true file. [1913 Webster]
- The raspberry. Bacon. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
rasp, n. & v.
--n. a coarse kind of file having separate teeth.
--v.
1 tr. a scrape with a rasp. b scrape roughly. c (foll. by off, away) remove by scraping.
2 a intr. make a grating sound. b tr. say gratingly or hoarsely.
3 tr. grate upon (a person or a person's feelings), irritate.
--n. a coarse kind of file having separate teeth.
--v.
1 tr. a scrape with a rasp. b scrape roughly. c (foll. by off, away) remove by scraping.
2 a intr. make a grating sound. b tr. say gratingly or hoarsely.
3 tr. grate upon (a person or a person's feelings), irritate.
Derivative
raspingly adv. raspy adj.
Etymology
ME f. OF raspe(r) ult. f. WG
THESAURUS
rasp
ablate, abrade, abrase, afflict, agonize, ail, annoy, bark, belch, bite, blare, blat, bray, burn, burr, buzz, cackle, caw, chafe, chirr, clang, clangor, clank, clash, convulse, craunch, croak, crucify, crump, crunch, cut, distress, erase, erode, exacerbate, excruciate, fester, file, fray, frazzle, fret, gall, get, give pain, gnaw, gnaw away, grate, grate on, grater, grating, gravel, graze, grind, grinding, gripe, grit, groan, growl, grumble, harrow, hurt, inflame, inflict pain, irk, irritate, jangle, jar, kill by inches, lacerate, martyr, martyrize, nettle, nip, pain, pierce, pinch, prick, prolong the agony, provoke, put to torture, rack, rankle, raze, rub, rub away, rub off, rub out, scour, scranch, scrape, scraping, scratch, scratching, screech, scrub, scrunch, scuff, set on edge, skin, snarl, snore, squawk, stab, sting, stridulation, torment, torture, twang, tweak, twist, vex, wear, wear away, wear on, wound, wringROGET THESAURUS
rasp
Pulverulence
N powderiness, pulverulence, sandiness, efflorescence, friability, powder, dust, sand, shingle, sawdust, grit, meal, bran, flour, farina, rice, paddy, spore, sporule, crumb, seed, grain, particle, limature, filings, debris, detritus, tailings, talus slope, scobs, magistery, fine powder, flocculi, smoke, cloud of dust, cloud of sand, cloud of smoke, puff of smoke, volume of smoke, sand storm, dust storm, pulverization, comminution, attenuation, granulation, disintegration, subaction, contusion, trituration, levigation, abrasion, detrition, multure, limitation, tripsis, filing, mill, arrastra, gristmill, grater, rasp, file, mortar and pestle, nutmeg grater, teeth, grinder, grindstone, kern, quern, koniology, powdery, pulverulent, granular, mealy, floury, farinaceous, branny, furfuraceous, flocculent, dusty, sandy, sabulous, psammous, arenose, arenarious, arenaceous, gritty, efflorescent, impalpable, lentiginous, lepidote, sabuline, sporaceous, sporous, pulverizable, friable, crumbly, shivery, pulverized, attrite, in pieces.VB come to dust, be disintegrated, be reduced to powder reduce to powder, grind to powder, pulverize, comminute, granulate, triturate, levigate, scrape, file, abrade, rub down, grind, grate, rasp, pound, bray, bruise, contuse, contund, beat, crush, cranch, craunch, crunch, scranch, crumble, disintegrate, attenuate.
Friction
VB rub, scratch, scrape, scrub, slide, fray, rasp, graze, curry, scour, polish, rub out, wear down, gnaw, file, grind, set one's teeth on edge, rosin.For further exploring for "rasp" in Webster Dictionary Online
