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rasping - 3 dictionary results

rasp⋅ing

  [ras-ping, rah-sping]
Use rasping in a Sentence
–adjective
1. harsh; grating: a rasping voice.
–noun
2. a minute piece removed by rasping: raspings of sawed wood.
3. raspings, dry bread crumbs.
Origin:
1650–60; rasp + -ing 2 , -ing 1

Related forms:
rasp⋅ing⋅ly, adverb
rasp⋅ing⋅ness, noun

rasp

  [rasp, rahsp]
–verb (used with object)
1. to scrape or abrade with a rough instrument.
2. to scrape or rub roughly: The glacier rasped the valley floor.
3. to grate upon or irritate: The sound rasped his nerves.
4. to utter with a grating sound: to rasp out an answer.
–verb (used without object)
5. to scrape or grate.
6. to make a grating sound.
–noun
7. an act of rasping.
8. a rasping sound.
9. a coarse file, used mainly on wood, having separate conical teeth.
10. (in an insect) a roughened surface used in stridulation.
Origin:
1200–50; ME raspen < OF rasper to scrape, grate < Gmc; see rape 3

Related forms:
raspish, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To rasping
rasp   (rāsp)   
v.   rasped, rasp·ing, rasps

v.   tr.
  1. To file or scrape with a coarse file having sharp projections.
  2. To utter in a grating voice.
  3. To grate on (nerves or feelings).
v.   intr.
  1. To scrape harshly; grate.
  2. To make a harsh grating sound.
n.  
  1. A coarse file with sharp, raised, pointed projections.
  2. The act of filing with a rasp.
  3. A harsh grating sound.

[Middle English raspen, from Middle Dutch raspen and Old French rasper, of Germanic origin.]
rasp'er n., rasp'ing·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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