1. Any forced act of sexual intercourse that is forced upon a person against his or her will: Rape by law is an unlawful activity which is usually done with threats of injury against a person; such as, a female by a man or with a person who is under a certain age; or anyone who is incapable of consenting because of mental illness, mental deficiency, intoxication, deception, or unconsciousness.
2. An act of plunder, violent seizure, or abuse: The rape of the countryside was committed by military forces which were out of control.
3. The act of seizing and carrying off by force: History has many examples of the rapes of ancient cities.
4. Etymology: "to seize prey, to take by force," from Anglo-French raper, Old French raper, "to seize, to abduct"; a legal term, from Latin rapere, "to seize, to carry off by force, to abduct".

Latin rapere was used for "sexual violation", but only very rarely; the usual Latin word being stuprum; literally, "disgrace".

The sense of "sexual violation" or "ravishing of a woman" was first recorded in English as a noun, in 1481 A.D. The noun sense of "taking anything (including a woman) away by force" is from about 1400 A.D.

1. To force another person to submit to sex acts; especially, sexual intercourse; or to commit forceable sex on someone: The hotel maid said the man had raped her and locked her in the bathroom so he could get away before she revealed the criminal act.

According to the law, the marital status of the person who is raped is usually irrelevant; moreover, the crime is codified under various names, including first degree sexual assault, sexual battery, unlawful sexual intercourse, and first degree sexual abuse.

2. To plunder or to pillage: The Romans raped (sacked or plundered) many places during their years of conquering.