rapes

Noun

rape (countable and uncountable, plural rapes)

1. The act of forcing sex upon another person without their consent or against their will; originally coitus forced by a man on a woman, but now generally any sex act forced by any person upon another person, regardless of gender; by extension, any non-consensual sex act forced on or perpetrated by any being.
   • I fled; but he pursued (though more, it seems, / Inflamed with lust than rage), and, swifter far, / Me overtook, his mother, all dismayed, / And, in embraces forcible and foul / Engendering with me, of that rape begot / These yelling monsters […]1667, John Milton, “Book II”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished...
2. (offensive, slang, sometimes) Overpowerment; utter defeat.
3. (offensive, slang, sometimes) An insult to one's senses so severe that one feels that they cannot ever be the same afterwards.
   • The ear rape of that concert was so bad I can't even listen to their songs at work anymore.
4. (archaic) The taking of something by force; seizure, plunder.
   • the Rape of Nanjing
5. (archaic) The abduction of a woman, especially for sexual purposes.
   • Sat. Traytor, if Rome haue law, or we haue power, / Thou and thy Faction shall repent this Rape. / Bass. Rape call you it my Lord, to cease my owne, / My true betrothed Loue, and now my wife?c. 1588–1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Lamentable Tragedy of Titus Andronicus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac...
6. (obsolete) That which is snatched away.
   • Where now are all my hopes? O, never more. / Shall they revive! nor death her rapes restore.1636, G[eorge] S[andys], “(please specify the page)”, in A Paraphrase upon the Psalmes of David. And upon the Hymnes Dispersed throughout the Old and New Testaments, London: [Andrew Hebb […]], →OCLC

See all 23 meanings of rape