rape

\ ˈrāp

Definition of rape

(Entry 1 of 4)

1 : unlawful sexual activity and usually sexual intercourse carried out forcibly or under threat of injury against a person's will or with a person who is beneath a certain age or incapable of valid consent because of mental illness, mental deficiency, intoxication, unconsciousness, or deception — compare sexual assault, statutory rape

2 : an outrageous violation

3 : an act or instance of robbing or despoiling or carrying away a person by force

rape

verb

raped; raping

Definition of rape (Entry 2 of 4)

transitive verb

1 : to commit rape on

2a : despoil

b archaic : to seize and take away by force

rape

noun (2)

Definition of rape (Entry 3 of 4)

: an Old World herb (Brassica napus) of the mustard family grown as a forage crop and for its seeds which yield rapeseed oil and are a bird food — compare canola

rape

noun (3)

Definition of rape (Entry 4 of 4)

: the pomace of grapes left after expression of the juice

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History and Etymology for rape

Verb

Middle English, from Latin rapere

Noun (2)

Middle English, "turnip, Brassica napus," borrowed from Latin rāpa, rāpum "turnip"; akin to Germanic *rōbjōn- "turnip" (whence Middle Dutch & Middle Low German rove, Old High German ruoba, ruoppa), Lithuanian rópė, Greek rháphys, rhápys (all going back to an earlier *rāp(h)-), Church Slavic (eastern) rěpa, Polish rzepa (going back to *rēp-), Welsh erfin "turnips, rape," Breton irvin (going back to *arb-īno-, perhaps metathesized from *rab-), all from a substratal pre-Indo-European word of uncertain form

Noun (3)

French râpe grape stalk

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Cite this Entry

“Rape.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rape. Accessed 24 January 2020.

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More Definitions for rape

rape

noun

\ ˈrāp

Kids Definition of rape

(Entry 1 of 3)

: a plant related to the mustard that is grown for animals to graze on, for its seeds which are fed to birds, and as a source of oil

rape

verb

raped; raping

Kids Definition of rape (Entry 2 of 3)

: to have sexual intercourse with by force

rape

noun

Kids Definition of rape (Entry 3 of 3)

: the crime of forcing someone to have sexual intercourse

rape

noun

\ ˈrāp

Medical Definition of rape

(Entry 1 of 3)

: a European herb (Brassica napus) of the mustard family grown as a forage crop and for its seeds which yield rapeseed oil and are a bird food — see canola sense 1

rape

transitive verb

raped; raping

Medical Definition of rape (Entry 2 of 3)

: to commit rape on

rape

noun

Medical Definition of rape (Entry 3 of 3)

: unlawful sexual activity and usually sexual intercourse carried out forcibly or under threat of injury against the will usually of a female or with a person who is beneath a certain age or incapable of valid consent — compare sexual assault, statutory rape

rape

transitive verb

raped; raping

Legal Definition of rape

(Entry 1 of 2)

: to commit rape on

rape

noun

Legal Definition of rape (Entry 2 of 2)

Note: The common-law crime of rape involved a man having carnal knowledge of a woman not his wife through force and against her will, and required at least slight penetration of the penis into the vagina. While some states maintain essentially this definition of rape, most have broadened its scope especially in terms of the sex of the persons and the nature of the acts involved. Marital status is usually irrelevant. Moreover, the crime is codified under various names, including first degree sexual assault sexual batteryunlawful sexual intercourse, and first degree sexual abuse.

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