| Rasp 1. (v. t.) To rub or file with a rasp; to rub or grate with a rough file; as, to rasp wood to make it smooth; to rasp bones to powder. 2. (v. t.) Hence, figuratively: To grate harshly upon; to offend by coarse or rough treatment or language; as, some sounds rasp the ear; his insults rasped my temper. 3. (n.) A coarse file, on which the cutting prominences are distinct points raised by the oblique stroke of a sharp punch, instead of lines raised by a chisel, as on the true file. 4. (n.) The raspberry. Thesaurus Entries ablate, abrade, abrase, afflict, agonize, ail, annoy, bark, belch, bite, blare, blat, bray, burn, burr, buzz, cackle, caw, chafe, chirr, clang, clangor, clank, clash, convulse, craunch, croak, crucify, crump, crunch, cut, distress, erase, erode, exacerbate, excruciate, fester, file, fray, frazzle, fret, gall, get, give pain, gnaw, gnaw away, grate, grate on, grater, grating, gravel, graze, grind, grinding, gripe, grit, groan, growl, grumble, harrow, hurt, inflame, inflict pain, irk, irritate, jangle, jar, kill by inches, lacerate, martyr, martyrize, nettle, nip, pain, pierce, pinch, prick, prolong the agony, provoke, put to torture, rack, rankle, raze, rub, rub away, rub off, rub out, scour, scranch, scrape, scraping, scratch, scratching, screech, scrub, scrunch, scuff, set on edge, skin, snarl, snore, squawk, stab, sting, stridulation, torment, torture, twang, tweak, twist, vex, wear, wear away, wear on, wound, wring |