Page:Farmer - Slang and its analogues past and present - Volume 5.pdf/378

 1749. Smollett, Gil Blas [Routledge], 216. The sheepish acquiescence of a man who stood in awe of an ecclesiastical rap on the knuckles.

1751. Fielding, Amelia, i. x. Though I never saw the lady in my life, she need not be shy of us: d—n me! I scorn to rap* against any lady. [* A cant word meaning to swear, or rather perjure yourself.]

1768. Ross, Helenore, 116. Honest Jean brings forth in a rap The green-horn cutties rattling in her lap.

1818. Scott, Midlothian, xx. When three words of your mouth would give the girl the chance you make such scruple about rapping [swearing] to them.

1839. Thackeray, Fatal Boots (August). I rapped out a good number of oaths.

1861. Eliot, Silas Marner, iv. Dunstan was always rapping his whip somewhere.

1879. Auto. of Thief [Macm. Mag., xl. 501]. I said, "All right," but he rapped "It is not all right."

1888. Sims, Plank Bed Ballad [Referee, 12 Feb.]. And he rapped, I shall just turn you over.

1888. Boldrewood, Robbery Under Arms, xxiii. If he tries to draw a weapon, or move ever so little, he's rapped at that second.

1893. Milliken, 'Arry Ballads, 51. The way the passengers stared at me showed I was fair on the rap.

1897. Mary Kingsley, W. Africa, 390. A severe rap on my moral knuckles from my conscience.

5. (old).—A counterfeit Irish coin nominally worth a halfpenny, but intrinsically less than half a farthing: proclaimed May 5th, 1737. Hence (6) the smallest unit of value: see Care and Worth; and (7) a cheat (Scots'); whence rapless = penniless, stony (q.v.).—Grose (1785).

1724. Swift, Drapier's Letters [Faulkner (1735), iv. 66]. Many counterfeits passed about under the name of raps.

1823. Moncrieff, Tom and Jerry, i. 7. I could have betted every rap—six quid to four

1834. Ainsworth, Game of High Toby [Rookwood]. For the mare-with-three-legs, boys, I care not a rap.

1900. White, West End, 283. 'I always thought Delane had settled a handsome sum on her.' Delane never offered her a rap. She wouldn't accept it if he did.

1902. Sp. Times, 1 Feb., 1, 4. But for my point of view Susie cared not a rap.

Verb. (old).—1. See subs. 1.

2. (old).—To barter; to swop (q.v.).—B. E. (c. 1696); Grose (1785).

Rape, subs. (back slang).—A pear.

Rapparee, subs. (old).—1. An Irish robber or outlaw; whence (2) a vagabond. [Malone: They armed themselves with a rapparee or half-pike.]—B. E. (c. 1696); Grose (1785).

Rapper, subs. (common).—1. A lie; a whopper (q.v.).—B. E. (c. 1696); Grose (1785). Also (2), see rap, sense 1. Whence rapping = very.

d. 1688. Parker, Rep. of Rehers. Transp., 200. Though this is no flower of the sun, yet I am sure it is something that deserves to be called a rapper.

Rapscallion (Rascallion, Rabscallion, Ramscallion, or Rascabilian), subs. (old).—A worthless wretch. Hence rapscallionry, &c. = the world of rascaldom. Also as adj.

1622. Breton, Strange Newes, 6. Makes no little gaine of rascabilians.

1663. Butler, Hudibras, i. iii. 327. Used him so like a base rascallion.

1703. Ward, London Spy, v. 110. And there we saw a parcel of Ragged Rapscallions, mounted upon Scrubbed Tits.