Rag vs. Rap — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Rag and Rap
ADVERTISEMENT
Compare with Definitions
Rag
A piece of old cloth, especially one torn from a larger piece, used typically for cleaning things
A piece of rag
He wiped his hands on an oily rag
Rap
Strike (a hard surface) with a series of rapid audible blows, especially in order to attract attention
He stood up and rapped the table
She rapped on the window
Rag
A newspaper, typically one regarded as being of low quality
The local rag
Rap
Talk or chat in an easy and familiar manner
We could be here all night rapping about spiritualism
Rag
A herd of colts
A rag of colts roamed the moorland
ADVERTISEMENT
Rap
Perform rap music
He raps under the name of Mr T
Rag
A programme of stunts, parades, and other entertainments organized by students to raise money for charity
Rag week
Rap
A quick, sharp knock or blow
There was a confident rap at the door
Rag
A large coarse roofing slate.
Rap
A type of popular music of US black origin in which words are recited rapidly and rhythmically over an instrumental backing
Rap artists
The label specializes in rap and modern soul
Rag
A hard, coarse sedimentary rock that can be broken into thick slabs.
Rap
A lengthy or impromptu conversation
Dropping in after work for a rap over a beer
Rag
A ragtime composition or tune.
Rap
A criminal charge, especially of a specified kind
He's just been acquitted on a murder rap
Rag
Variant of raga
Rap
A person's reputation, typically a bad one
Why should drag queens get a bad rap?
Rag
Give a decorative effect to (a painted surface) by applying paint, typically of a different colour, with a rag
The background walls have been stippled above the dado rail and ragged below
Rap
The smallest amount (used for emphasis)
He doesn't care a rap whether it's true or not
Rag
Make fun of (someone) in a boisterous manner
He ragged me about not smoking or drinking
Despite the way I sometimes rag her, she is my sister
Rap
To hit sharply and swiftly; strike
Rapped the table with his fist.
Rag
Rebuke severely
I ragged a restaurant last week for mangling Key lime pie
Rap
To utter sharply
Rap out a complaint.
Rag
Keep possession of (the puck) by skilful stick-handling and avoidance of opponents, so as to waste time
Players ragged the puck in mid-ice to kill off penalties
Rap
To criticize or blame.
Rag
A scrap of cloth.
Rap
To strike a quick light blow
Rapped on the door.
Rag
A piece of cloth used for cleaning, washing, or dusting.
Rap
(Slang) To discuss something freely and at length.
Rag
Rags Threadbare or tattered clothing.
Rap
To perform rap music.
Rag
Cloth converted to pulp for making paper.
Rap
To perform as rap music
Lyrics that were rapped.
Rapped the chorus of the song.
Rag
A scrap; a fragment.
Rap
A quick light blow or knock.
Rag
(Slang) A newspaper, especially one specializing in sensationalism or gossip.
Rap
A knocking or tapping sound.
Rag
The stringy central portion and membranous walls of a citrus fruit.
Rap
A reprimand.
Rag
A practical joke; a prank.
Rap
A sentence to serve time in prison.
Rag
A roofing slate with one rough surface.
Rap
(Slang) A negative quality or characteristic associated with a person or an object.
Rag
Chiefly British A coarsely textured rock.
Rap
The least bit
I don't give a rap about office politics. I don't care a rap what you do.
Rag
A piece written in ragtime.
Rap
(Slang) A talk, conversation, or discussion.
Rag
To criticize or scold (someone).
Rap
A form of popular music developed especially in African American urban communities and characterized by spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics with a strong rhythmic accompaniment.
Rag
To criticize or complain about (something).
Rap
A composition or performance of such music.
Rag
To tease or taunt (someone).
Rap
(countable) A sharp blow with something hard.
Rag
Chiefly British To play a joke on.
Rap
(slang) Blame for something.
You can't act irresponsibly and then expect me to take the rap.
Rag
(Sports) In ice hockey, to maintain possession of (the puck) by outmaneuvering opposing players, especially so as to kill a penalty.
Rap
(informal) A casual talk.
Rag
To compose or play (a piece) in ragtime.
Rap
Rap music.
Rag
(in the plural) Tattered clothes.
Rap
A song, verse, or instance of singing in the style of rap music.
Rag
A piece of old cloth, especially one used for cleaning, patching, etc.; a tattered piece of cloth; a shred or tatter.
Rap
An appraisal.
Rag
A shabby, beggarly fellow; a ragamuffin.
Rap
A positive appraisal; a recommendation.
Rag
A ragged edge in metalworking.
Rap
A lea or skein of yarn that forms the standard length taken from the reel, 80 yards of worsted or 120 yards of silk or cotton.
Rag
A sail, or any piece of canvas.
Rap
(historical) Any of the tokens that passed current for a halfpenny in Ireland in the early part of the eighteenth century; any coin of trifling value.
Rag
Sanitary napkins, pads, or other materials used to absorb menstrual discharge.
Rap
A whit; a jot.
I don't care a rap.
That's not worth a rap.
Rag
A newspaper or magazine, especially one whose journalism is considered to be of poor quality.
Fish wrap
Rap
Acronym of record of arrest and prosecution
Rag
(poker) A poor, low-ranking kicker.
I have ace-four on my hand. In other words, I have ace-rag.
Rap
A charge, whether or not it results in a conviction.
Rag
A curtain of various kinds.
Rap
(intransitive) To strike something sharply with one's knuckles; knock.
Rag
(dated) A person suffering from exhaustion or lack of energy.
Rap
To strike with a quick blow; to knock on.
Rag
A coarse kind of rock, somewhat cellular in texture; ragstone.
Rap
(metalworking) To free (a pattern) in a mould by light blows on the pattern, so as to facilitate its removal.
Rag
(dated) A prank or practical joke.
Rap
To utter quickly and sharply.
The sergeant rapped out a word of command to the troops.
Rag
A society run by university students for the purpose of charitable fundraising.
Rap
(ambitransitive) To speak (lyrics) in the style of rap music.
He started to rap after listening to Tupac.
He rapped a song to his girlfriend.
Rag
An informal dance party featuring music played by African-American string bands.
Rap
To talk casually; to engage in conversation.
Rag
A ragtime song, dance or piece of music.
Rap
(transitive) To seize and carry off.
Rag
(transitive) To decorate (a wall, etc.) by applying paint with a rag.
Rap
(transitive) To transport out of oneself; to affect with rapture.
Rag
(intransitive) To become tattered.
Rap
A lay or skein containing 120 yards of yarn.
Rag
To break (ore) into lumps for sorting.
Rap
A quick, smart blow; a knock.
Rag
To cut or dress roughly, as a grindstone.
Rap
A popular name for any of the tokens that passed current for a half-penny in Ireland in the early part of the eighteenth century; any coin of trifling value.
Many counterfeits passed about under the name of raps.
Tie it [her money] up so tight that you can't touch a rap, save with her consent.
Rag
To scold or tell off; to torment; to banter.
Rap
Conversation; also, rapping.
Rag
To drive a car or another vehicle in a hard, fast or unsympathetic manner.
Rap
A type of rhythmic talking, often with accompanying rhythm instruments; rap music.
Rag
To tease or torment, especially at a university; to bully, to haze.
Rap
To strike with a quick, sharp blow; to knock; as, to rap on the door.
Rag
To play or compose (a piece, melody, etc.) in syncopated time.
Rap
To strike with a quick blow; to knock on.
With one great peal they rap the door.
Rag
To dance to ragtime music.
Rap
To free (a pattern) in a mold by light blows on the pattern, so as to facilitate its removal.
Rag
To add syncopation (to a tune) and thereby make it appropriate for a ragtime song.
Rap
To snatch away; to seize and hurry off.
And through the Greeks and Ilians they raptThe whirring chariot.
From Oxford I was rapt by my nephew, Sir Edmund Bacon, to Redgrove.
Rag
To scold or rail at; to rate; to tease; to torment; to banter.
Rap
To hasten.
Rag
To become tattered.
Rap
To seize and bear away, as the mind or thoughts; to transport out of one's self; to affect with ecstasy or rapture; as, rapt into admiration.
I'm rapt with joy to see my Marcia's tears.
Rapt into future times, the bard begun.
Rag
To break (ore) into lumps for sorting.
Rap
To exchange; to truck.
Rag
To cut or dress roughly, as a grindstone.
Rap
To engage in a discussion, converse.
Rag
To play or compose (a piece, melody, etc.) in syncopated time.
Rap
To perform a type of rhythmic talking, often with accompanying rhythm instruments. It is considered by some as a type of music; see rap music.
All they could rap and rend and pilfer.
A judge who rapped out a great oath.
Rag
To dance to ragtime music, esp. in some manner considered indecorous.
Rap
A reproach for some lapse or misdeed;
He took the blame for it
It was a bum rap
Rag
A piece of cloth torn off; a tattered piece of cloth; a shred; a tatter; a fragment.
Cowls, hoods, and habits, with their wearers, tossed,And fluttered into rags.
Not having otherwise any rag of legality to cover the shame of their cruelty.
Rap
A gentle blow
Rag
Hence, mean or tattered attire; worn-out dress.
And virtue, though in rags, will keep me warm.
Rap
The sound made by a gentle blow
Rag
A shabby, beggarly fellow; a ragamuffin.
The other zealous rag is the compositor.
Upon the proclamation, they all came in, both tag and rag.
Rap
Voluble conversation
Rag
A coarse kind of rock, somewhat cellular in texture.
Rap
Genre of African-American music of the 1980s and 1990s in which rhyming lyrics are chanted to a musical accompaniment; several forms of rap have emerged
Rag
A ragged edge.
Rap
The act of hitting vigorously;
He gave the table a whack
Rag
A sail, or any piece of canvas.
Our ship was a clipper with every rag set.
Rap
Strike sharply;
Rap him on the knuckles
Rag
A small piece of cloth or paper
Rap
Make light, repeated taps on a surface;
He was tapping his fingers on the table impatiently
Rag
A week at British universities during which side-shows and processions of floats are organized to raise money for charities
Rap
Perform rap music
Rag
Music with a syncopated melody (usually for the piano)
Rap
Talk volubly
Rag
Newspaper with half-size pages
Rag
A boisterous practical joke (especially by college students)
Rag
Treat cruelly;
The children tormented the stuttering teacher
Rag
Cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations;
Mosquitoes buzzing in my ear really bothers me
It irritates me that she never closes the door after she leaves
Rag
Play in ragtime;
Rag that old tune
Rag
Harass with persistent criticism or carping;
The children teased the new teacher
Don't ride me so hard over my failure
His fellow workers razzed him when he wore a jacket and tie
Rag
Censure severely or angrily;
The mother scolded the child for entering a stranger's car
The deputy ragged the Prime Minister
The customer dressed down the waiter for bringing cold soup
Rag
Break into lumps before sorting;
Rag ore
Share Your Discovery
Previous Comparison
Protuberance vs. Tuberosity
Next Comparison
Boll vs. Ball
