c.1300, "to scrape," from M.Du. raspen, O.Fr. rasper "to grate, rasp," from a W.Gmc. source (cf. O.E. gehrespan) akin to the root of raffle (q.v.). Vocalic sense is from 1843. The noun meaning "coarse file" is from 1540s, from M.Fr. raspe, from O.Fr. rasper "to rasp."