Legal Writing

Wrapping Things Up and ?Rapping Things Up?

By Maeve Maddox

In commenting on a post about wracking vs racking, reader MsB requested a post on the words wrap and rap,

as in wrapping things up or rapping things up.

A web search reveals numerous occurrences of the expression ?rapping things up,? used deliberately in a punning sense in connection with rap music. Many more, however, are unintentional errors for the term wrapping things up in the sense of ?bringing things to a conclusion.?

Video headline on facebook

Rapping Things Up (The topic seems to be the close of a family event in a park. The narrator begins the video by saying that his purposes is ?to w/rap things up.?)

Comment on a television fan site

Flash Forward is hopefully rapping things up this season and not leaving a cliffhanger the end of the season.

Comments on a television fan site

–What did you think of [Patriots and Tyrants]?
–I think they did an amazing job rapping things up in such a short time.

Computer instruction article

In rapping things up i want to say that i hope this tutorial has helped you guys who are new to flash and know nothing about it.

Article offering tips for writing term papers –on an official university site (!)

You are done providing new information in support of your thesis and are rapping things up.

In its literal sense, the verb to wrap means

To cover, enwrap, or swathe (a person or part of the body) by enfolding in a cloth or the like; in later use esp., to envelop or enshroud with a garment; to attire, garb, clothe in an enfolding garment. Occas. refl. Also with advs., as about, around, round. –OED

The verb, derived from a word meaning ?to turn? or ?to wind,? was in use in the early 14th century. The noun wrap is recorded in the early 15th century. The sense of ?woman?s garment? is recorded from 1827.

The film expression, ?It?s a wrap,? appeared in print in 1974.

Expressions with wrap:
wrap it up: to bring to a conclusion.
The lecturer wrapped up his remarks with an amusing anecdote.

wrap it up: to shut up.
I wish that boring speaker would wrap it up!

wrap something around: to crash a vehicle into a stationary object.
Jackson wrapped his new BMW around a utility post.

a wrap: a finished process.
O.K, everybody, that?s a wrap!

under wraps: in concealment.
The producer is keeping the subject of the new series under wraps until he?s sure of funding.

The word rap will get a post of its own.

Full post as published by Daily Writing Tips on April 12, 2010 (boomark / email).