rapier
English edit
Etymology 1 edit
Borrowed from Middle French rapiere, from Middle French (espee) rapiere, from Old French rapiere, raspiere, from Spanish raspadera (“poker; raker; scraper”), from Spanish raspar (“to scrape”), of Germanic origin. More at rasp.
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
rapier (plural rapiers)
- A slender, straight, sharply pointed sword (double-edged, single-edged or edgeless).
- c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
- […] In his lawless fit,
Behind the arras hearing something stir,
Whips out his rapier, cries ‘A rat, a rat!’
And in this brainish apprehension kills
The unseen good old man.
- 1911, G. K. Chesterton, “The Sins of Prince Saradine”, in The Innocence of Father Brown:
- The man beside him with the earrings and the big black case proceeded to unlock it. He took out of it two long Italian rapiers, with splendid steel hilts and blades, which he planted point downwards in the lawn.
Derived terms edit
Translations edit
slender straight sharply pointed sword
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Adjective edit
rapier (not comparable)
- Extremely sharp.
- Cutting; employing keen wit.
- John is very quick on his feet during interviews by using his rapier responses.
Etymology 2 edit
Adjective edit
rapier
- comparative form of rapey: more rapey
Anagrams edit
Dutch edit
Etymology edit
Borrowed from Middle French (espee) rapiere.
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
rapier n (plural rapieren, diminutive rapiertje n)
Coordinate terms edit
Polish edit
Alternative forms edit
Etymology edit
Borrowed from French rapière. First attested in 1597.[1]
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
rapier m inan
Declension edit
Declension of rapier
References edit
- ^ Maria Renata Mayenowa, Stanisław Rospond, Witold Taszycki, Stefan Hrabec, Władysław Kuraszkiewicz (2010-2023) Słownik Polszczyzny XVI Wieku [A Dictionary of 16th Century Polish]