Rasps — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈrasp/

Meaning & Definition of Rasps

Rasps (verb)

  1. to rub with something rough; specifically, to abrade with a rasp
  2. to grate upon, irritate
  3. to utter in a raspy tone

Rasps (noun)

  1. a coarse file with cutting points instead of lines
  2. something used for rasping
  3. an act of rasping

Rasps (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a harsh grating sound

    "the rusted lock opened with a rasp"

    similar: creaks, grinds, jars, scrapes, scratches
    related: clangors, clangs, clanks, clashes, jangles, scuffs, croaks, gargles, blasts, bleats, brays, screeches

Rasps (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to make smooth by friction

    "after sawing the board in half, rasp the ends to remove any splinters"

    similar: buffs, files, grinds, hones, rubs, sands
    related: planes, scrapes, sandblasts, scours, burnishes, dresses, glosses, polishes, shines, smooths, edges, sharpens, strops, whets, regrinds
    near: coarsens, roughens, roughs (up), scuffs

  2. to pass roughly and noisily over or against a surface

    "the sound of fingernails rasping on the blackboard makes me cringe"

    similar: grates, grinds, scrapes, scratches
    related: rubs, groans, whines
    near: glides, skates, slides

  3. to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts

    "the two siblings seemed intent on rasping each other for the entire car trip"

    similar: aggravates, annoys, bothers, bugs, burns (up), chafes, eats, exasperates, frosts, galls, gets, grates, gripes, hacks (off), irks, irritates, itches, narks (British), nettles, peeves, persecutes, piques, puts out, riles, ruffles, spites, vexes, gets one's goat, gets on one's nerves, gets to, rubs the wrong way, sets one's teeth on edge, sticks in one's craw, wears on
    related: hassles, heckles, nags, inflames, provokes, rouses, badgers, baits, bullyrags, devils, hagrides, harasses, harries, pesters, plagues, teases, angers, antagonizes, enrages, incenses, infuriates, maddens, rankles, roils, agitates, discomforts, discomposes, disquiets, distresses, exercises, freaks (out), frets, perturbs, undoes, unhinges, unsettles, upsets, worries, affronts, insults, miffs, offends, outrages
    near: appeases, conciliates, mollifies, obliges, pacifies, placates, propitiates, delights, gladdens, gratifies, pleases, satisfies, assures, cheers, comforts, consoles, contents, quiets, reassures, solaces, soothes

  4. to damage or diminish by continued friction

    "during the last ice age, glaciers rasped the surface, leaving the deeply scarred rock"

    similar: abrades, chafes, corrades, erodes, frays, frazzles, frets, galls, rubs, wears
    related: files, gnaws, grates, grazes, grinds, nibbles, sandblasts, sandpapers, scours, scrapes, scuffs, shaves, erases, reduces, rubs out, wears out, wipes (away), bites, breaks down, breaks up, chews, corrodes, decomposes, disintegrates, dissolves, eats, hones, sharpens, whets

Related Entry: Rasp (noun)

Rasp is a different word from Rasps. The synonyms below are for rasp, not for rasps.

  1. a harsh grating sound

    "the rusted lock opened with a rasp"

    similar: creak, grind, jar, scrape, scratch
    related: clang, clangor, clank, clash, jangle, scuff, croak, gargle, blast, bleat, bray, screech

Related Entry: Rasp (verb)

Rasp is a different word from Rasps. The synonyms below are for rasp, not for rasps.

  1. to make smooth by friction

    "after sawing the board in half, rasp the ends to remove any splinters"

    similar: buff, file, grind, hone, rub, sand
    related: plane, scrape, sandblast, scour, burnish, dress, gloss, polish, shine, smooth, edge, sharpen, strop, whet, regrind
    near: coarsen, rough (up), roughen, scuff

  2. to pass roughly and noisily over or against a surface

    "the sound of fingernails rasping on the blackboard makes me cringe"

    similar: grate, grind, scrape, scratch
    related: rub, groan, whine
    near: glide, skate, slide

  3. to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts

    "the two siblings seemed intent on rasping each other for the entire car trip"

    similar: aggravate, annoy, bother, bug, burn (up), chafe, eat, exasperate, frost, gall, get, grate, gripe, hack (off), irk, irritate, itch, nark (British), nettle, peeve, persecute, pique, put out, rile, ruffle, spite, vex, get one's goat, get on one's nerves, get to, rub the wrong way, set one's teeth on edge, stick in one's craw, wear on
    related: hassle, heckle, nag, inflame, provoke, rouse, badger, bait, bullyrag, devil, hagride, harass, harry, pester, plague, tease, anger, antagonize, enrage, incense, infuriate, madden, rankle, roil, agitate, discomfort, discompose, disquiet, distress, exercise, freak (out), fret, perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle, upset, worry, affront, insult, miff, offend, outrage
    near: appease, conciliate, mollify, oblige, pacify, placate, propitiate, delight, gladden, gratify, please, satisfy, assure, cheer, comfort, console, content, quiet, reassure, solace, soothe

  4. to damage or diminish by continued friction

    "during the last ice age, glaciers rasped the surface, leaving the deeply scarred rock"

    similar: abrade, chafe, corrade, erode, fray, frazzle, fret, gall, rub, wear
    related: file, gnaw, grate, graze, grind, nibble, sandblast, sandpaper, scour, scrape, scuff, shave, erase, reduce, rub out, wear out, wipe (away), bite, break down, break up, chew, corrode, decompose, disintegrate, dissolve, eat, hone, sharpen, whet

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Rasps

The most common words with a similar meaning to Rasps:

British: narks
creaks, grinds, jars, scrapes, scratches, buffs, files, hones, rubs, sands, grates, aggravates, annoys, bothers, bugs, burns (up), chafes, eats, exasperates, frosts, galls, gets, gripes, hacks (off), irks, irritates, itches, nettles, peeves, persecutes, piques, puts out, riles, ruffles, spites, vexes, abrades, corrades, erodes, frays

Related Words for Rasps

clangors, clangs, clanks, clashes, jangles, scuffs, croaks, gargles, blasts, bleats, brays, screeches, planes, sandblasts, scours, burnishes, dresses, glosses, polishes, shines, smooths, edges, sharpens, strops, whets, regrinds, groans, whines, hassles, heckles

Near Antonyms of Rasps

coarsens, roughens, roughs (up), scuffs, glides, skates, slides, appeases, conciliates, mollifies, obliges, pacifies, placates, propitiates, delights, gladdens, gratifies, pleases, satisfies, assures, cheers, comforts, consoles, contents, quiets, reassures, solaces, soothes

Word Forms of Rasps

Inflections: rasped, rasping

Derived words: rasper (noun), raspingly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Rasps

Middle English, from Anglo-French *rasper, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German raspōn to scrape together

First known use: 14th centuryt

Frequently Asked Questions about Rasps

What does "Rasps" mean?

"Rasps" means to rub with something rough; specifically, to abrade with a rasp. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to rub with something rough; specifically, to abrade with a rasp. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Rasps"?

Other words for "Rasps" include creaks, grinds, jars, scrapes, scratches, buffs, files and hones. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Rasps" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Rasps"?

There are 139 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Rasps". Common alternatives include creaks, grinds, jars, scrapes, scratches, buffs, files, hones, rubs and sands.

How do you use "Rasps" in a sentence?

Examples of "Rasps" in a sentence: "the rusted lock opened with a rasp"; "after sawing the board in half, rasp the ends to remove any splinters"; "the sound of fingernails rasping on the blackboard makes me cringe".

Is "Rasps" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Rasps" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Rasps"?

"Rasps" is pronounced /ˈrasp/.

What is the origin of the word "Rasps"?

"Rasps" comes from Middle English, from Anglo-French *rasper, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German raspōn to scrape together. First known use: 14th centuryt.

What is another word for "Rasps" meaning "a harsh grating sound"?

When "Rasps" (noun) means a harsh grating sound, synonyms include creaks, grinds, jars, scrapes and scratches.