 English "rape" was in use since the 14th century in the general sense of "seize prey, take by force", from "raper", an Old French legal term for "to seize", in turn from Latin "rapere" "seize, carry off by force, abduct".The Latin term was also used for sexual violation, but not always.It is contested that the legendary event known as "The Rape of the Sabine Women", while ultimately motivated sexually, did not entail sexual violation of the Sabine women on the spot, who were instead abducted, and then implored by the Romans to marry them (as opposed to striking a deal with their fathers or brothers first, as would have been required by law).