# rape

/ˈɹeɪp/ (US) · /ɹˈeɪp/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/rape
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. sexual crime

noun · CEFR B2

the crime of forcing someone to have sex when they do not want to.

For teachers: the act of non-consensual sexual intercourse or other sexual penetration perpetrated against a person's will.

- The victim came forward to report the rape to the police immediately.
- The prosecution presented DNA evidence to secure a conviction for the aggravated rape that occurred last autumn.

### 2. to commit sexual assault

verb · CEFR B2

to force someone to have sex against their will.

For teachers: to commit the act of non-consensual sexual penetration upon another person.

- He was sent to prison for ten years after he raped a stranger.
- The defendant was accused of using a weapon to threaten the victim before he raped her in the alleyway.

### 3. the plant

noun · CEFR B2

a plant with bright yellow flowers grown for its seeds, which are used to make oil.

For teachers: the plant Brassica napus, widely cultivated for its oil-rich seeds used in cooking and industrial applications.

- The fields were bright yellow with rape in the early summer.
- Farmers in this region have increasingly turned to growing rape as a profitable alternative to traditional cereal crops.

### 4. seizure by force

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

the act of taking something away by force or destroying a place.

For teachers: the act of plundering, despoiling, or seizing property by force.

- The book describes the rape of the countryside by greedy developers.
- Historians often discuss the rape of the city's treasures during the final days of the siege.

## Examples

- The victim reported the rape to the police immediately.
- The legal system has evolved to ensure that survivors of rape receive better support during the trial process.
- Legislative reforms aimed at broadening the definition of rape have focused on the central role of affirmative consent rather than the presence of physical resistance.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.