rasp

American  

[rasp, rahsp] / ræsp, rɑsp /

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.

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verb (used without object)

1. to scrape or grate.

2. to make a grating sound.

noun

1. an act of rasping.

2. a rasping sound.

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

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

rasp ¹ British  

/ rɑːsp /

noun

1. a harsh grating noise

2. a coarse file with rows of raised teeth

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verb

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

2. to utter with or make a harsh grating noise

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

rasp ² British  

/ rɑːsp /

noun

1. an informal or Scot word for raspberry

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Other Word Forms

• rasper noun
• raspish adjective
• unrasped adjective

Etymology

Origin of rasp

1200–50; Middle English raspen < Old French rasper to scrape, grate < Germanic; rape ³

Example Sentences

To play Springsteen, White studied hundreds of archive videos to capture the singer's characteristic New Jersey rasp and athletic stage moves.

From BBC • Jun. 18, 2025

“To give you an idea of the intensity, my first week that I actually had off, where it was just Margaret working, I got shingles,” Moore says, almost proudly, in her familiar deep rasp.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 3, 2024

She matched Winehouse’s signature jazzy tone, but doesn’t have the low register rasp that made Winehouse’s voice unique.

From Seattle Times • May 16, 2024

Anycia’s low, laid-back rasp provides a fitting foil for Latto’s bounding exuberance; “I don’t know how to sing, but I’m her,” Latto spits, taking a quick breath as the punchline lands.

From New York Times • Jan. 19, 2024

After a time he heard die noise again, the rasp of steel on stone as Bronn sharpened his sword.

From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin