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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Rape, Raip, n. Also: raipe, raype, rap; reap(e, rep(e. [Early and north. ME rape (1154 to a1400–50), rap (Orm), OE ráp. Cf. Rope n.¹]

1. A rope.Also as the second element of a compound, see also Gy-raip, Hip-raip and land-raip Land n.¹ 1 e.Also fig., proverb., and comb. with -maker.(1) 1375 Barb. iii 691.
Ankyrs, rapys, bath saile and ar a1400 Leg. S. xv 188.
A royd rape thai cane ma, & drew hyme [etc.] Ib. xl 982.
About his nek thai knyt a rape Ib. xii 441. ?1438 Alex. (c1580) ii 3494.
I haue ingynes and rapes [F. cordes] … To auale hors 1402 Exch. R. III 544 n.
Item, for hakis and rapis, xij d. c1420 Wynt. iii 367. c1475 Wall. vii 201.
A bauk was knyt all full of rapys keyne 1494 Treas. Acc. I 248. 1559 Rentale Dunkeld. (S.H.S.) App. iii 355.
For iiij^xx fawdomis of new rapis 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Funis, retinaculum, a towe or rape(b) 1453 Misc. Spald. C. V 50.
For a raype to the knok, 3 s. 6 d. a1500 Henr. Fab. 2013.
In ane rude raip had tyit me till ane tre 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1377. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 331 (M).
I wald haue riddin him to Rome with ane raip in his heid 1513 Doug. ii iv 66. 1535 Stewart 38802.
The Danis … with all thair raipis red Wand saill to top, and saillit syne 1536 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 174.
Thir … persones … to red be cord and raip the half tenement of Villiam Flecher 1562-3 Winȝet I 50/19.
As thai war slawes, presoneris, and captiues in a raip 1573–4 E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. VII 69.
iii stoukis stra to be raipis to the north ile a1578 Pitsc. I 187/26.
The duik raif the scheittis of his bede and maid the raipe langer a1605 Montg. Flyt. 423 (T).
Thir ladyis [witches] licht fra thair hors And band thame with raipis 1587 Carmichael Etym. 23.
A raip, restis a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1804) 115. 1598 Elgin Rec. II 69.
Drawing of stuillis and raippis the tyme of frost and ise forbiddin 1599 Ib. 76.
William Hyis wyffe, Johne Mowis wife [etc.] … quho wer schewdand in a raip this day 1622-6 Bisset II 244/18.
Gif the takillis raipis or uthir geir brek [etc.](2) 1375 Barb. x 360.
He gert Sym … Of hempyn rapis ledderis ma ?1438 Alex. ii 10935.
The rapes [were] of silk a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 314.
Rapis of rede gold 15.. Lichtoun Dreme 8.
In ane lang raip of sand 1568 Inverness Rec. I 172.
The foirsaid sek … bundin wyth the raipe of stray 1604 Elgin Rec. II 119.
Jonnet Smyth confessit the ringing of a pan with the knewill of a hairie raip(3) 1513 Doug. xii xi 25.
Horssis, renȝeis, sydrapis and cart 1580 Edinb. Test. VIII 241.
Ane swing ane billie raip [etc.] 1602 Conv. Burghs II 144.
Except it be sua that the buy raip brak 1609 Reg. Privy C. VIII 325.
The syde repis of thair horspleuchis(4) fig. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2888.
Gif ȝe may not eschaip, Than ar we baith but dout tane in the raip(5) proverb. c1460 Wisd. Sol. (S.T.S.) 235.
Wer is to brek a dowbile raipe na a singile a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS No. 1593.
Ye ar als wanton as a bit of a reap a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1530.
There is a quhap in the raip 1692 Presb. Eloq. (1789) 111.comb. 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Restio, a reape-maker, or ane that hangs himselfe

b. Freq. applied to the hangman's rope, lit., and in allusive and proverb. contexts.(1) a1400 Leg. S. ii 1148.
He the rape mad al ȝare Ib. xl 977. c1420 Wynt. v 4785.
This emprys … layd abowt hys nek a rape, To dede swa gert scho draw that pape Ib. vii 2872.
Wyth rapys and wethyis abowt thare hals [they] Put thame in to the kyngys will 1504 Treas. Acc. II 453.
For ane raip to hing thaim 1530 Edinb. B. Rec. II 37. 1535 Stewart 13214.
Tha will … de in ane raip Ib. 38447.
In raipis rude richt heich … tha hangit thame a1538 Abell 38a.(2) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 169/74.
The Devill said, Welcum in a raip 1529 Lynd. Complaynt 213.
For God, nor I rax in ane raipe, Thow mycht geue counsale to the Pape 1540 Id. Sat. 2450.
I think to se thy craig gar ane raip crack 1570 Sat. P. xv 128.
Gif ye may get hir, than ressaif hir With raipis about your neckis a1578 Pitsc. I 175/8.
And said to him, ‘ane raipe wald sett him better’ a1605 Montg. Flyt. 90 (T). 15.. Bk. Dean Lismore p. 48.
A viddy or a raip of pycht A heltyr for to hang ye vitht 1611-57 Mure Sonn. xii 9.
All … ar greeued … the rape hath nocht thy lyfe berewed(3) proverb. a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 931.
It is als meit as a raip for a theif

c. In the asseveration be rude and rape. — c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 169/56.
The smyth swoir be rude and raip, In till a gallowis mot I gaip

d. Coupled with thak, as representing the principal roofing materials of a building.Commonly in reference to the symbolic giving and taking possession of a building, or of land on which a building or buildings stand, also to the construction or maintenance of a building. 1509 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I 58.
Ane enteres to thak and raip of the said tak 1514 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 128.
Gyf to hym state and possession … be thack and rap as use is 1551 Ib. 353. 1564 Prot. Bk. J. Drummond 55. 1587 Prot. Bk. J. Inglis 25 April.
James Innes … gaif reall … possessione be thaik & raip of the saidis landis of Culue with the pertinentis to [etc.] 1593 Ib. 26 July.
Seising of the saidis landis … with pertenence be ȝerd & stane & thaik & rape of the biggynis thairof 1616 Inverurie 203.
With horse, servants, thak and raipes, to big and theik the mill 1624 Forbes Baron Ct. 219.
The haill tennentis wphaldis ther awin pairt off off the laich bigging within the close of Fiddes wnder thack and raip

2. A rope six ells in length (see Skene quots.) used for measuring; also transf., the unit of length thereby defined. 1537–8 Dunferm. Reg. Ct. 152.
To met and messur thair saidis landis be rynd [? erron. for ruyd] and raip 1564 Riddell Tracts 101.
That all modois and mosses … be dewydat be mett and messoure, rude and rape 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Particata.
That ane rod, ane raip, ane lineal fall of measure are all ane, and signifies ane thing, for ilk ane of them conteinis sex elnes in length Ib.
Of the vulgar people there is bot ane forme of metting vsed and vnderstand: to wit, be rod and raip, that is to say, be ane rod or gade of sex elnes lang; or be ane string or coard of sex elnes lang, stented betwixt twa staues. … With these fallis ilke square piece of lande is met ouer the middis 1607 Inverness Rec. II 50.
[They] paist to the forsaidis landis … and … haiffing lynit the samyn withe rid and raip [etc.]

3. A string (of garlic or onions). 1407 Aberd. B. Rec. (S.H.S.) 238.
De centum rape onoignys ?14.. Ship Laws c. 4 (B).
Of ilk soume of gerleke that is xxiiii rapys 15.. Aberd. B. Rec. MS XXI (Jam.).
Tuelf thowsand raippis of vnyeonis