rack Hear it!

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rack1 definition

rack (rak)

noun

  1. a framework, grating, case, stand, etc. for holding or displaying various things clothes rack, dish rack, pipe rack, bomb rack
    1. a triangular form for arranging billiard balls at the beginning of a game of pool
    2. the billiard balls as set up before the break
  3. a lift used for automotive vehicles
  4. a frame for holding cases of type
  5. a toothed bar into which a pinion, worm gear, etc. meshes for receiving or transmitting motion, as in automotive steering systems
  6. a pair of antlers
  7. an instrument of torture having a frame on which the victim's body is bound and stretched until the limbs are pulled out of place
  8. any great mental or physical torment, or its cause
  9. a wrenching or upheaval, as by a storm

Etymology: ME racke < LowG rack < IE *rek-, to project, bar > rock

transitive verb

  1. to arrange in or on a rack
  2. to torture on a rack
  3. to trouble, torment, or afflict a body racked with pain
    1. to oppress by unfair demands, esp. by exacting exorbitant rents
    2. to raise (rents) to an exorbitant degree

Etymology: prob. < MDu recken

rack Idioms

off the rack

ready-made
said of clothing

on the rack

in a very difficult or painful situation

rack one's brains

to try very hard to remember or think of something

rack up

Slang
  1. to gain, score, or achieve to rack up a victory
  2. to be the victor over or beat decisively
  3. to knock down, as with a punch
  4. to injure, wreck, or destroy, as in an accident racked up the car
rack2 definition

rack (rak)

noun, intransitive verb

single-foot

Etymology: < ?

rack3 definition

rack (rak)

noun

destruction; wreckage: now only in go to rack and ruin, to become ruined

Etymology: var. of wrack

rack4 definition

rack (rak)

noun

a broken mass of clouds blown by the wind

Etymology: ME rac, prob. < Scand, as in ON reka, to drive, Norw, Swed dial. rak, a wreck: for IE base see wreak

intransitive verb

to be blown by the wind: said of clouds
rack5 definition

rack (rak)

transitive verb

to draw off (cider, wine, etc.) from the dregs

Etymology: LME rakken < Prov arracar < raca, husks and stems of grapes, thick dregs

rack6 definition

rack (rak)

noun

  1. the neck or forepart of the spine, especially of mutton or pork
  2. the rib section of lamb, usually including eight or nine pairs of ribs, used for a roast or for rib chops
    in full rack of lamb

Etymology: < ? rack

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

idioms rack idiom

rack Synonyms

rack

n.

  1. A frame

    holder, receptacle, framework, stand, shelf, ledge, perch, bracket, whatnot, arbor, trivet, box, counter, trestle, scaffold, stretcher, hatrack, clothes rack, hat tree, clothes tree, cake rack, bottle rack, wine rack, baker's rack, pen rack, gun rack, tie rack, towel rack; see also frame 1.

  2. An engine of torture

    instrument of torture, wheel, iron heel, wooden horse, thumbscrew, iron maiden, boot, water rack, bed of Procrustes, peine forte et dure (French), Oregon boot*; see also torture.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

rack Usage Examples

Object

  • shelving: Although the markets we service are diverse, the strongest performing year on year products are the core racking, shelving and plastics products.

Converse of object

  • steer: Engine rebuilt, gearbox rebuilt, steering rack, suspension, new gasoline tank, many other new parts fitted over past few years.

Preposition: into

  • cask: After fermentation the beer is racked into casks and allowed time to condition before serving to the customer.

Adjective modifier

  • 19-inch: A stand alone Windows® based control unit, 19-inch rack compatible, with 6.5-inch color display.

Modifies a noun

  • tom: Now your rack toms can be mounted closer together for a much more ergonomic setup than ever imagined.

Adjective complement

  • mountable: Or they may be on an external box ( possibly rack mountable ) which is connected by a cable to a multiport card.

Preposition: with

  • guilt: Marty was racked with guilt and later said that he felt he should have been the target.

Noun used with modifier

  • luggage: First up is the seat frame & luggage rack.
rack usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

rack quotes

öShe marked thee there, 662 Stretched on the rack of a too easy chair, And heard thy everlasting yawn confess The pains and penalties of idleness.

-Pope, Alexander

rack quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"rack." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/rack>

APA Style

rack. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/rack

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