rack

rack
1.
n. & v.
—n.
1 a a framework usu. with rails, bars, hooks, etc., for holding or storing things. b a frame for holding animal fodder.
2 a cogged or toothed bar or rail engaging with a wheel or pinion etc., or using pegs to adjust the position of something.
3 hist. an instrument of torture stretching the victim's joints by the turning of rollers to which the wrists and ankles were tied.
—v.tr.
1 (of disease or pain) inflict suffering on.
2 hist. torture (a person) on the rack.
3 place in or on a rack.
4 shake violently.
5 injure by straining.
6 oppress (tenants) by exacting excessive rent.
7 exhaust (the land) by excessive use.
Phrases and idioms:
on the rack in distress or under strain. rack one's brains make a great mental effort (racked my brains for something to say). rack-railway a railway with a cogged rail between the bearing rails. rack-rent n.
1 a high rent, annually equalling the full value of the property to which it relates.
2 an extortionate rent.
—v.tr. exact this from (a tenant) or for (land). rack-renter a tenant paying or a landlord exacting an extortionate rent. rack-up US achieve (a score etc.). rack-wheel a cog-wheel.
Etymology: ME rakke f. MDu., MLG rak, rek, prob. f. recken stretch
2.
n. destruction ({{}}esp. rack and ruin).
Etymology: var. of WRACK, WRECK
3.
n. a joint of lamb etc. including the front ribs.
Etymology: perh. f. RACK(1)
4.
v.tr. (often foll. by off) draw off (wine, beer, etc.) from the lees.
Etymology: ME f. Prov. arracar f. raca stems and husks of grapes, dregs
5.
n. & v.
—n. driving clouds.
—v.intr. (of clouds) be driven before the wind.
Etymology: ME, prob. of Scand. orig.: cf. Norw. and Sw. dial. rak wreckage etc. f. reka drive
6.
n. & v.
—n. a horse's gait between a trot and a canter.
—v.intr. progress in this way.

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат
Synonyms:

Look at other dictionaries:

  • 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

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”