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RAPE (1),
a seizing by force, violation. (Scand.) Levins has: 'a
rape, raptura, rapina;' and 'to rape, rapere.' The word
is certainly Scandinavian, and the same as M.E. rape, haste, hurry; but
has obviously been affected by confusion with a supposed derivation from Lat. rapere,
to seize, with which it has really nothing to do; cf. F. rapt, 'a violent
snatching,' Cot. The sb. really derived from Lat. rapere is Rapine,
q.v. β. The M.E. rape, haste, is common enough, occurring in the old
proverb 'ofte rap reweth' = haste often repents, Proverbs of Hendyng, l. 256, in
Spec. of Eng. ed. Morris and Skeat, p. 42. Chaucer accused Adam
Scrivener of 'negligence and rape,' i.e. haste. And see King Horn,
ed. Lumby, 1418; P. Plowman, B. v. 333; Gower, C.A. i. 296, l. 27.—Icel. hrap, ruin, falling down (probably also haste, as the vb.
hrapa often means to
hasten), hrapaðr, a hurry; Swed. rapp, Dan. rap, brisk, quick. See
Rap (2). Der. rape, verb. [†] RAPE
(2), a plant nearly
allied to the turnip. (F.,—L.; or L.) M.E. rape, Prompt.
Parv.—O.F. rabe, later rave, 'a rape, or turnep,' Cot.
The M.E. rape is either
derived from a still older F. form, viz. rape, or else has been accommodated to
the spelling of the Lat. word.—Lat. rapa, a turnip, rape; also
spelt rapum. + Russ. riepa, a turnip. + Gk. ῥάπυς, a turnip; cf..
ῥαφανις, a
radish. Root unknown. Der. rape-oil, rape-cake. RAPE
(3), a division of a
county, used in Sussex. (Scand.) Still in use; of Scand.
origin.—Icel. hreppr, a district; see remarks in the Icel. Dict.
Prob. the orig. sense was 'share' or allotment; the deriv. being from Icel. hreppa, to catch, hence to obtain. This verb is cognate with A.S.
hrepian, hreppan, to touch, take hold of, Gen. iii. 3.; Swed. repa, to scratch.
[†]
ADDENDA RAPE
(1). 'Murdre, rape, and treson;' Caxton, tr. of Reynard, c. 33, ed.
Arber, p. 95. RAPE
(3). In the sense of 'division of a county,' it occurs in Arnold's
Chron., (about 1502), ed. 1811, p. 181.
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