/ reɪp; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb
[ vn ] to force sb to have sex with you when they do not want to by threatening them or using violence
—see also rapist
■ noun
1.
[ U , C ] the crime of forcing sb to have sex with you, especially using violence :
He was charged with rape.
a rape victim
an increase in the number of reported rapes
—see also date rape , rapist
2.
[ sing. ] rape (of sth) ( literary ) the act of destroying or spoiling an area in a way that seems unnecessary
3.
(also ˌoilseed ˈrape ) [ U ] a plant with bright yellow flowers, grown as food for farm animals and for its seeds that are used to make oil
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WORD ORIGIN
noun senses 1 to 2 and verb late Middle English (originally denoting violent seizure of property, later carrying off a woman by force): from Anglo-Norman French rap (noun), raper (verb), from Latin rapere seize.
noun sense 3 late Middle English (originally denoting the turnip plant): from Latin rapum , rapa turnip.