beat the rap

B b

Transcription

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
- [beet stressed th ee rap]
- /bit stressed ði ræp/
- /biːt ðə ræp/

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- [beet stressed th ee rap]
- /bit stressed ði ræp/

Definitions of beat the rap words

phrase beat the rap If you beat the rap, you avoid being blamed for something wrong that you have done. 3
noun beat the rap to escape punishment or be acquitted of a crime 3
verb with object beat the rap to strike, especially with a quick, smart, or light blow: He rapped the door with his cane. 1
verb with object beat the rap to utter sharply or vigorously: to rap out a command. 1
verb with object beat the rap (of a spirit summoned by a medium) to communicate (a message) by raps (often followed by out). 1
verb with object beat the rap Slang. to criticize sharply: Critics could hardly wait to rap the play. 1

See all 21 definitions of beat the rap

Information block about the term

Origin of beat the rap

First appearance:

before 1300

One of the 15% oldest English words

1300-50; 1960-65 for def 8; Middle English rappen (v.), rap(p)e (noun); akin to Swedish rappa to beat, drub, German rappeln to rattle; senses “to talk,” “conversation, talk” perhaps of distinct orig., though the hypothesis that it is a shortening of repartee is questionable

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Beat the rap

noun

adjective

verb

adverb

pronoun

preposition

conjunction

determiner

exclamation

Full grammatical hierarchy of Beat the rap

beat the rap popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 96% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.

Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

beat the rap usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for beat the rap

verb beat the rap

acquit — If someone is acquitted of a crime in a court of law, they are formally declared not to have committed the crime.
get off — to receive or come to have possession, use, or enjoyment of: to get a birthday present; to get a pension.
walk — to advance or travel on foot at a moderate speed or pace; proceed by steps; move by advancing the feet alternately so that there is always one foot on the ground in bipedal locomotion and two or more feet on the ground in quadrupedal locomotion.
get away with — to receive or come to have possession, use, or enjoyment of: to get a birthday present; to get a pension.

All 5 Synonyms of beat the rap