rasping

[ ras-ping, rah-sping ]

/ ˈræs pɪŋ, ˈrɑ spɪŋ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR rasping ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

harsh; grating: a rasping voice.

noun

a tiny piece of material removed by rasping or scraping: raspings of sawed wood.

raspings, dry bread crumbs.

Nearby words

rasp, raspatory, raspberry, raspberry sawfly, rasper, rasping, raspings, rasputin, rasputin, grigori, raspy, rasse

Origin of rasping

First recorded in 1650–60; rasp + -ing², -ing¹

Related forms

rasp·ing·ly, adverbrasp·ing·ness, nounun·rasp·ing, adjective

Definition for rasping (2 of 2)

rasp

[ rasp, rahsp ]

/ ræsp, rɑsp /

verb (used with object)

to scrape or abrade with a rough instrument.

to scrape or rub roughly: The glacier rasped the valley floor.

to grate upon or irritate: The sound rasped his nerves.

to utter with a grating sound: to rasp out an answer.

verb (used without object)

to scrape or grate.

to make a grating sound.

noun

an act of rasping.

a rasping sound.

a coarse file, used mainly on wood, having separate conical teeth.

(in an insect) a roughened surface used in stridulation.

Origin of rasp

1200–50; Middle English raspen < Old French rasper to scrape, grate < Germanic; see rape³

Related forms

rasp·ish, adjectiveun·rasped, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for rasping

She has not heard her rasping voice, nor her heavy step in the outer room.
Dangerous Ground|Lawrence L. Lynch
There was sound of strident, rasping sk-r-r-r-rr: then a lightning snap, as of a whip.
Tonio, Son of the Sierras|Charles King
It is of a gritty and rasping nature, and is at the same time very friable.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 3|Various
Deacon Whittle cleared his throat with an angry, rasping sound.
An Alabaster Box|Mary E. Wilkins Freeman and Florence Morse Kingsley

I will show you a mystery: Little faults are personally more disagreeable and rasping to us than great ones.
Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall|Charles Major

British Dictionary definitions for rasping (1 of 3)

rasping

raspy (ˈrɑːspɪ)

/ (ˈrɑːspɪŋ) /

adjective

(esp of a noise) harsh or grating; rough

British Dictionary definitions for rasping (2 of 3)

rasp

/ (rɑːsp) /

noun

a harsh grating noise

a coarse file with rows of raised teeth

verb

(tr) to scrape or rub (something) roughly, esp with a rasp; abrade

to utter with or make a harsh grating noise

to irritate (one's nerves or senses); grate (upon)

Derived Forms

rasper, nounraspish, adjective

Word Origin for rasp

C16: from Old French raspe, of Germanic origin; compare Old High German raspōn to scrape

British Dictionary definitions for rasping (3 of 3)

rasp

/ (rɑːsp) /

noun

an informal or Scot word for raspberry

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012