Ranz-des-vaches, rong′-dā-väsh′, n. a melody of the Swiss, played on the alpenhorn. [Swiss Fr., either 'the lowing of the cows' or 'the line of cows.' Vaches, pl. of vache—L. vacca, a cow; ranz, either Swiss dial. ranz (cf. Ger. ranzen), or for rangs, pl. of rang, a line.]
Rap, rap, n. a sharp blow: a knock, or a sound made by knocking: a counterfeit coin current in Ireland for a halfpenny in the time of George I.—hence, 'Not worth a rap.'—v.t. and v.i. to strike with a quick blow: to knock: to utter sharply, as to rap out a lie: to swear falsely:—pr.p. rap′ping; pa.t. and pa.p. rapped.—n. Rap′per, one who raps: a door-knocker. [Scand., as Dan. rap; imit.]
Rap, rap, v.t. to seize and carry off: to transport out of one's self: to affect with rapture:—pr.p. rap′ping; pa.p. rapped or rapt. [Scand., as Ice. hrapa, to rush headlong, cog. with Ger. raffen, to snatch.]
Rapacious, ra-pā′shus, adj. seizing by violence: given to plunder: ravenous: greedy of gain.—n. Rapā′ces, the beasts and birds of prey.—adv. Rapā′ciously.—ns. Rapā′ciousness, Rapac′ity, the quality of being rapacious: ravenousness: extortion. [L. rapax, rapacis—rapĕre, raptum, to seize and carry off.]
Rape, rāp, n. the act of seizing and carrying away by force: carnal knowledge of a woman without her consent.—adj. Rape′ful, given to violence or lust. [M. E. rapen, to haste, a variant of rappen, to seize, confused with L. rapĕre, to snatch.]
Rape, rāp, n. a division of the county of Sussex, greater than the hundred. [Ice. hreppr, district.]
Rape, rāp, n. a plant nearly allied to the turnip, cultivated for its herbage and oil-producing seeds: cole-seed.—ns. Rape′-cake, cake made of the refuse, after the oil has been expressed from the rape-seed; Rape′-oil, oil obtained from rape-seed; Rape′-seed, the seed of the rape, cole-seed. [Through Fr. from L. rapa, rapum, a turnip; cog. with Gr. rhapys.]
Rape, rāp, n. the stalk and skin of grapes.
Rap-full, rap′-fool, adj. full of wind—of sails when close-hauled.—n. a sail full of wind.
Raphaelesque, raf-ā-el-esk′, adj. in the manner of the great Italian painter Raphael, Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino (1483-1520).—ns. Raph′āelism, the principles of art of Raphael; Raph′āelite, one who follows the principles of Raphael; Raph′āelitism.