1. Referring to a situation in which someone is fascinated by or concentrating on something to the exclusion of everything else: Shirley was staring with rapt attention at her professor who was teaching about the various tribes of Africa.
2. Relating to showing or suggesting deep emotions of joy or ecstasy and joy: Tina's father had rapt pleasure as his daughter was singing in the musical presentation.

Harry's rapt expression reflected the pleasure he felt while he was listening to the marvelous music on TV.

3. Conveying a deeply engrossing or absorbing situation: The students gave the teacher their rapt attention as she told them about the trip that the class would be taking.

The children sat as rapt listeners while the storyteller was reading the story about the fairies.

4. Characteristic of showing or proceeding with great happiness or excitement: Marjory's mother expressed her rapt pleasure when she came to visit with her children.

Cindy stood in front of the famous painting with a rapt smile on her face.

5. A reference to being carried off spiritually to another place, sphere of existence, etc.: As David was near death, he looked forward to the rapt day when he would be taken from this world into heaven.
6. Etymology: from Latin raptus, past participle of rapere, "to seize, to snatch".

The figurative sense is from the notion of "being carried up into Heaven (bodily or in a dream)", as in a saint's vision.

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