beat the rap

== English == === Pronunciation === === Verb === beat the rap (third-person singular simple present beats the rap, present participle beating the rap, simple past beat the rap, past participle beaten the rap or (colloquial) beat the rap) (slang) To escape legal conviction and punishment for a crime which one has been charged with committing; to be acquitted. === See also === you can beat the rap, but you can't beat the ride bum rap cop a plea/cop to a plea get off on a technicality take the rap