rasp
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rasp¹
- /ɹɑːsp/ UK
- /ɹæsp/ UK
- /ɹæsp/ US
Rhymes with -ɑːsp, -æsp
Where it comes from
Inherited from Middle English raspen (“to scratch, scrape”), borrowed from Old French rasper (“to grate, scratch”), from Vulgar Latin *raspāre (“to scrape; to scratch”), borrowed from Frankish *hraspōn (“to rasp or grate”), from Proto-Germanic *hraspōną (same meaning, plus “to steal”), from *hrespaną (“to tear, rip; to plunder”).
Compare Old High German raspōn (“to gather, rake”), Old English ġehrespan (“to plunder”).
The noun is from Middle French raspe (whence Modern French râpe), deverbal of rasper, from Old French rasper (see above).
noun rasps
-
A coarse file or filelike tool, 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.
Similar: file
- The sound made by this tool when used, or any similar sound. the rasp of her perpetual cough
- A group of guinea fowl A rasp of guinea fowl honked as 'Emma' the ostrich pecked.
verb rasps · rasping · rasped
- To use a rasp.
- To make a noise similar to the one a rasp makes in use; to utter rasps.
- To say in a raspy voice. “No. I am going to feed you to the children,” rasped Burt, his laugh rattling around his throat, prising Dad’s fingers one by one off his apron.
- To work something with a rasp. to rasp wood to make it smooth
- To grate harshly upon; to offend by coarse or rough treatment or language. Some sounds rasp the ear.
rasp²
- /ɹɑːsp/ UK
- /ɹæsp/ UK
- /ɹæsp/ US
Rhymes with -ɑːsp, -æsp
Where it comes from
Probably from earlier raspis (“raspberry”), mistaken as a plural. Further origin unknown.
noun rasps · resp
- The raspberry. Set sorrel amongst rasps, and the rasps will be smaller.
RaSP³
proper noun
- Abbreviation of Royalty and Specialist Protection
Translations
Every language
noun coarse file
| Español | escofina |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 줄 jul |
| 日本語 | 鑢 yasuri |
| 中文 | 銼刀 /锉刀 cuòdāo |
| Kiswahili | tupa |
| Português | grosa, raspa, raspadeira |
| Français | râpe |
| Deutsch | Raspel |
| Italiano | scuffina, raspa |
| Русский | ра́шпиль rášpilʹ |
| العربية | عَرْمُوش ʕarmūš, مِكْشَط mikšaṭ |
verb to use a rasp
| Español | raspar, escofinar |
|---|---|
| Português | grosar |
| Français | râper |
| Deutsch | raspeln |
| Italiano | scuffinare |
| Русский | обдира́ть obdirátʹ, тере́ть terétʹ, опи́ливать opílivatʹ |
verb to work something with a rasp
| Português | grosar |
|---|
Talk about this word "rasp." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/rasp. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. rasp. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/rasp "rasp." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/rasp.Cite this
@misc{rasp_2026,
title = {rasp},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/rasp},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
