rack

rack
I. noun Etymology: Middle English rak rain cloud, rapid movement Date: 14th century a wind-driven mass of high often broken clouds II. intransitive verb Date: 1590 to fly or scud in high wind III. noun Etymology: Middle English, probably from Middle Dutch rec framework; akin to Old English reccan to stretch, Greek oregein — more at right Date: 14th century 1. a framework for holding fodder for livestock 2. an instrument of torture on which a body is stretched 3. a. (1) a cause of anguish or pain (2) acute suffering b. the action of straining or wrenching 4. a framework, stand, or grating on or in which articles are placed 5. a. a bar with teeth on one face for gearing with a pinion or worm gear to transform rotary motion to linear motion or vice versa (as in an automobile steering mechanism) b. a notched bar used as a ratchet to engage with a pawl, click, or detent 6. a pair of antlers 7. a triangular frame used to set up the balls in a pool game; also the balls as set up 8. bed, sackrackful noun IV. verb Date: 15th century transitive verb 1. to torture on the rack 2. to cause to suffer torture, pain, anguish, or ruin <
racked with jealousy
>
<
a company racked by infighting
>
3. a. to stretch or strain violently <
racked his brains
>
b. to raise (rents) oppressively c. to harass or oppress with high rents or extortions 4. to work or treat (material) on a rack 5. to work by a rack and pinion or worm so as to extend or contract <
rack a camera
>
6. to seize (as parallel ropes of a tackle) together 7. to place (as pool balls) in a rack intransitive verb to become forced out of shape or out of plumb Synonyms: see afflictracker nounrackingly adverb V. transitive verb Etymology: Middle English rakken, from Old French (Norman & Picard dialect) reequier, probably from Late Latin reaedificare to rebuild, repair, improve, from Latin re- + aedificare to build — more at edify Date: 15th century to draw off (as wine) from the lees VI. intransitive verb Etymology: probably alteration of 1rock Date: 1530 of a horse to go at a rack VII. noun Date: 1580 either of two gaits of a horse: a. pace 4b b. a fast showy 4-beat gait VIII. noun Etymology: perhaps from 3rack Date: 1570 1. the neck and spine of a forequarter of veal, pork, or especially mutton 2. the rib section of a lamb's forequarters used for chops or as a roast — see lamb illustration IX. noun Etymology: alteration of wrack Date: 1592 destruction <
rack and ruin
>

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • rack — rack …   Dictionnaire des rimes

  • Rack — Rack, n. [Probably fr. D. rek, rekbank, a rack, rekken to stretch; akin to G. reck, reckbank, a rack, recken to stretch, Dan. r[ae]kke, Sw. r[ a]cka, Icel. rekja to spread out, Goth. refrakjan to stretch out; cf. L. porrigere, Gr. ore gein.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Rack — may refer to: People * Rack (Buffyverse) * Reinhard Rack, an Austrian politician Kinds of racks * Rack (torture device) * Rack (billiards) * 19 inch rack, a system for mounting electronic modules * Amp rack, short for amplifier rack, a piece of… …   Wikipedia

  • rack — [ rak ] n. m. • 1954; mot angl. « râtelier; étagère » ♦ Anglic. Électron. Tiroir destiné à recevoir des sous ensembles électroniques qui doivent être montés dans une baie (2., 2o). ● rack nom masculin (anglais rack, râtelier) Meuble de rangement… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • rack — rack1 [rak] n. [ME racke < LowG rack < IE * rek , to project, bar > ROCK2] 1. a framework, grating, case, stand, etc. for holding or displaying various things [clothes rack, dish rack, pipe rack, bomb rack]: often used in combination:… …   English World dictionary

  • Rack — (r[a^]k), v. t. 1. To extend by the application of force; to stretch or strain; specifically, to stretch on the rack or wheel; to torture by an engine which strains the limbs and pulls the joints. [1913 Webster] He was racked and miserably… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Rack — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Para otros usos de este término, véase Rack (desambiguación). Fotografía de un Rack. Un rack es un bastidor destinado a alojar equipamiento electrónico, informático y de comunicaciones. Sus medidas están …   Wikipedia Español

  • Rack — 〈[ ræ̣k] n. 15〉 Regal, Gestell (bes. für Stereoanlagen) [engl.] * * * Rack [rɛk , engl.: ræk], das; s, s [engl. rack = Regal, Gestell]: regalartiges Gestell zur Unterbringung von Elementen einer Stereoanlage. * * * I Rack   das, s/ s …   Universal-Lexikon

  • rack — Ⅰ. rack [1] ► NOUN 1) a framework for holding or storing things. 2) a cogged or toothed bar or rail engaging with a wheel or pinion, or using pegs to adjust the position of something. 3) (the rack) historical an instrument of torture consisting… …   English terms dictionary

  • Rack — Rack, n. [See {Wreck}.] A wreck; destruction. [Obs., except in a few phrases.] [1913 Webster] {Rack and ruin}, destruction; utter ruin. [Colloq.] {To go to rack}, to perish; to be destroyed. [Colloq.] All goes to rack. Pepys. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • rack — [ræk] verb rack up something to succeed in getting a large amount of something, especially profits, sales, or debts: • His last movie managed to rack up $75 million at the box office. • Somehow he managed to rack up debts of £80,000 …   Financial and business terms

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