Meanings
rasp1
plural rasps
- The sound made by this tool when used, or any similar sound.
the rasp of her perpetual cough
- collectiveA group of guinea fowl
The rasp of guinea fowl came from a Swiss breeder.
(Can we date this quote?), “New cohabitants for the elephants: guinea fowl”, in Basel Zoo2 more examples
A rasp of guinea fowl honked as 'Emma' the ostrich pecked.
2025, Rory MacLean, Nick Danziger, Back in the USSRThere was a flock - no, a rasp of guinea-fowl feeding in a garden not twenty yards away.
1939, Blackwood's Magazine, volume 945, page 533
present singular third person rasps · participle present rasping · participle past rasped · past rasped
- intransitiveTo use a rasp.
- 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.
2012, David Walliams [pseudonym; David Edward Williams], Ratburger, London: HarperCollins Children’s Books, →ISBN - transitiveTo work something with a rasp.
to rasp bones to powder
1 more example
to rasp wood to make it smooth
- ambitransitivefigurativelyTo grate harshly upon; to offend by coarse or rough treatment or language.
Some sounds rasp the ear.
1 more example
His insults rasped my temper.
rasp2
plural rasps · alternative obsolete resp
- archaicThe raspberry.
Set sorrel amongst rasps, and the rasps will be smaller.
1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “(please specify the page, or |century=I to X)”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC
RaSP3
- abbreviationAbbreviation of Royalty and Specialist Protection.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA 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.
More synonyms by meaning
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
rasp · noun, verb
- Proto-Indo-European*(s)ker-
- Proto-Indo-European*(s)kreb /*(s)krebʰ-
- Proto-Germanic*hrepsaną /*hrepspaną
- Proto-Germanic*hrespaną
- Proto-Germanic*hraspōną
- Frankish*hraspōn
- Vulgar Latin*raspāre
- Old Frenchrasper
- Middle Englishraspen
- Englishrasp
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).
More words from Middle French, Old French
Full word history & related roots →rasp · noun
Probably from earlier raspis (“raspberry”), mistaken as a plural. Further origin unknown.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic عَرْمُوش, مِكْشَط
- عَرْمُوش (ʕarmūš)coarse file
- مِكْشَط (mikšaṭ)coarse file
Bulgarian раш пила, стържене
- раш пила (raš pila)coarse file
- стържене (stăržene)sound made by a rasp
- пиля (pilja)to use a rasp
- стържа (stărža)to make a noise like that of a rasp
- изпилявам (izpiljavam)to work something with a rasp
- остъргвам (ostărgvam)to grate or rub roughly
Chinese Mandarin 銼刀 /锉刀
- 銼刀 /锉刀 (cuòdāo)coarse file
Czech rašple, rašplovat
- rašplecoarse file
- rašplovatto use a rasp
Danish rasp
- raspcoarse file
Dutch rasp
- raspcoarse file
Esperanto raspilo
- raspilocoarse file
Estonian raspel, raspeldama
- raspelcoarse file
- raspeldamato work something with a rasp
Finnish raspi, rahina
- raspicoarse file
- rahinasound made by a rasp
- raspatato use a rasp
- rahistato make a noise like that of a rasp
- raspatato work something with a rasp
French râpe, râpement
- râpecoarse file
- râpementsound made by a rasp
- râperto use a rasp
German Raspel, raspeln
- Raspelcoarse file
- raspelnto use a rasp
Hungarian ráspoly, reszelő
- ráspolycoarse file
- reszelőcoarse file
- csikorgássound made by a rasp
Italian scuffina, raspa
- scuffinacoarse file
- raspacoarse file
- scuffinareto use a rasp
Japanese 鑢
- 鑢 (yasuri)coarse file
Korean 줄
- 줄 (jul)coarse file
Latin grosa, līma
- grosacoarse file
- līmacoarse file
Māori waku kaitara, waku
- waku kaitaracoarse file
- wakucoarse file
- ngākekesound made by a rasp
- ngākeketo make a noise like that of a rasp
- kauhoroto grate or rub roughly
- hikahikato grate or rub roughly
- ngakeketo grate or rub roughly
Norwegian rasp
- raspcoarse file
Persian چوبسا
- چوبسا (čub-sâ)coarse file
Polish tarnik
- tarnikcoarse file
Portuguese grosa, raspa
- grosacoarse file
- raspacoarse file
- raspadeiracoarse file
- raspasound made by a rasp
- grosarto use a rasp
- rasparto make a noise like that of a rasp
- grosarto work something with a rasp
Russian ра́шпиль, скре́жет
- ра́шпиль (rášpilʹ)coarse file
- скре́жет (skréžet)sound made by a rasp
- обдира́ть (obdirátʹ)to use a rasp
- тере́ть (terétʹ)to use a rasp
- опи́ливать (opílivatʹ)to use a rasp
- скрести́ (skrestí)to make a noise like that of a rasp
Scottish Gaelic eighe, rusp
- eighecoarse file
- ruspcoarse file
Spanish escofina, raspar
- escofinacoarse file
- rasparto use a rasp
- escofinarto use a rasp
Swahili tupa
- tupacoarse file
Swedish rasp, raspa
- raspcoarse file
- raspato make a noise like that of a rasp
Thai บุ้ง
- บุ้ง (bûng)coarse file
Turkish törpü, törpü sesi
- törpücoarse file
- törpü sesisound made by a rasp
- törpülemekto use a rasp
Ukrainian ра́шпіль
- ра́шпіль (rášpilʹ)coarse file
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with rasp
All rhymes →Anagrams
Cite this entry
rasp. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rasp
“rasp.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rasp. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “rasp,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rasp.
Source: rasp on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.