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Sing vs Rap - What's the difference?

sing | rap |

In intransitive terms the difference between sing and rap

is that sing is to produce musical or harmonious sounds with one’s voice while rap is to strike something sharply with one's knuckles; knock.

As an acronym RAP is

Recognized Air Picture.

sing

English

Verb

  • To produce musical or harmonious sounds with one’s voice.
  • "I really want to sing in the school choir." said Vera .
  • To express audibly by means of a harmonious vocalization.
  • * {{quote-book, 1852, Mrs M.A. Thompson, chapter=The Tutor's Daughter, Graham's American Monthly Magazine of Literature, Art, and Fashion, page=266 citation
  • , passage=In the lightness of my heart I sang catches of songs as my horse gayly bore me along the well-remembered road.}}
  • To soothe with singing.
  • to sing somebody to sleep
  • (slang) To confess under interrogation.
  • To make a small, shrill sound.
  • The air sings in passing through a crevice.
  • * Alexander Pope
  • O'er his head the flying spear / Sang innocent, and spent its force in air.
  • To relate in verse; to celebrate in poetry.
  • * Prior
  • Bid her sing / Of human hope by cross event destroyed.
    (Milton)

    Derived terms

    * besing * sing along / sing-along * singer * sing from the same hymnbook * singing cowboy * sing out * singsong * sing soprano * sing the praises

    See also

    * singe

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A gathering for the purpose of singing songs.
  • * 2002 , Martha Mizell Puckett, ?Hoyle B. Puckett, Memories of a Georgia Teacher: Fifty Years in the Classroom (page 198)
  • Some of the young folks asked Mrs. Long could they have a sing at her home that Sunday afternoon; she readily agreed, telling them to come early, bring their songbooks, and have a good sing.

    rap

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) rap, rappe, of (etyl) origin, related to (etyl) . More at (l).

    Noun

    (wikipedia rap)
  • (countable) A sharp blow with something hard.
  • The teacher gave the wayward pupil a rap across the knuckles with her ruler.
  • * 1900 , , The House Behind the Cedars , Chapter II,
  • He walked softly up the sanded path, tiptoed up the steps and across the piazza, and rapped at the front door, not too loudly, lest this too might attract the attention of the man across the street. There was no response to his rap . He put his ear to the door and heard voices within, and the muffled sound of footsteps. After a moment he rapped again, a little louder than before.
  • (uncountable) Blame (for something).
  • You can't act irresponsibly and then expect me to take the rap .
  • (informal) A casual talk
  • (uncountable) Rap music.
  • A song, verse, or instance of singing in the style of rap music.
  • Synonyms
    * (blame) fall
    Derived terms
    * beat the rap * bum rap * rap music * rap song * take the rap

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) rappen, of (etyl) origin, related to (etyl) .

    Verb

    (rapp)
  • To strike something sharply with one's knuckles; knock.
  • * 1845 , (Edgar Allan Poe), "":
  • Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, ¶ Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore, ¶ While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, ¶ As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. ¶ "'Tis some visitor", I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door — ¶ Only this, and nothing more."
  • * 1900 , , The House Behind the Cedars , Chapter II,
  • He walked softly up the sanded path, tiptoed up the steps and across the piazza, and rapped' at the front door, not too loudly, lest this too might attract the attention of the man across the street. There was no response to his rap. He put his ear to the door and heard voices within, and the muffled sound of footsteps. After a moment he ' rapped again, a little louder than before.
  • (dated) To strike with a quick blow; to knock on.
  • * Prior
  • With one great peal they rap the door.
  • (metalworking) To free (a pattern) in a mould by light blows on the pattern, so as to facilitate its removal.
  • (ambitransitive) To speak (lyrics) in the style of rap music.
  • ''He started to rap after listening to the Beastie Boys
    He rapped a song to his girlfriend.
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2012 , date=April 19 , author=Josh Halliday , title=Free speech haven or lawless cesspool – can the internet be civilised? , work=the Guardian citation , page= , passage=But the purported rise in violent videos online has led some MPs to campaign for courts to have more power to remove or block material on YouTube. The Labour MP Heidi Alexander said she was appalled after a constituent was robbed at knifepoint, and the attackers could be found brandishing weapons and rapping about gang violence online.}}
  • (informal) To talk casually.
  • Derived terms
    * rap on * rapper

    See also

    * emcee * hip-hop

    Etymology 3

    Uncertain.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A lay or skein containing 120 yards of yarn.
  • (Knight)

    Etymology 4

    Perhaps contracted from rapparee.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • 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.
  • * Jonathan Swift
  • Many counterfeits passed about under the name of raps .
  • * Mrs. Alexander
  • Tie it [her money] up so tight that you can't touch a rap , save with her consent.
  • A whit; a jot.
  • I don't care a rap .
    That's not worth a rap .

    Anagrams

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