1 C1 neutral
To strike something sharply with a downward motion onto a surface.
"The chairperson rapped down the gavel to silence the room."
separable
rap down
C1 neutral separable transitive
To strike sharply downward on a surface; not a widely established phrasal verb.
In plain English
To knock or strike something sharply in a downward direction.
What does "rap down" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
Striking something sharply in a downward direction.
Actually means
To knock or strike something sharply in a downward direction.
Usage tip
'Rap down' is not a common or well-established phrasal verb and does not appear in most standard dictionaries. It may be used very occasionally to describe a sharp downward strike (e.g. a judge rapping a gavel down). Learners should use more specific alternatives.
Words that pair with "rap down"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
gavel knuckles table desk
How to conjugate "rap down"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
rap down
I/you/we/they
3rd person
raps down
he/she/it
Past simple
raped down
yesterday
Past participle
raped down
have + pp
-ing form
raping down
continuous
Hear "rap down" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "rap down" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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