[syn: torment, torture, excruciate, rack]
9. work on a rack;
- Example: "rack leather"
10. seize together, as of parallel ropes of a tackle in order to prevent running through the block;
11. torture on the rack;
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Rack \Rack\, n.
A fast amble.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Rack \Rack\, v. t. [Cf. OF. vin raqu['e] wine squeezed from the
dregs of the grapes.]
To draw off from the lees or sediment, as wine.
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It is in common practice to draw wine or beer from the
lees (which we call racking), whereby it will clarify
much the sooner. --Bacon.
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Rack vintage, wine cleansed and drawn from the lees.
--Cowell.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Rack \Rack\ (r[a^]k), n.
Same as Arrack.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Rack \Rack\, n. [AS. hracca neck, hinder part of the head; cf.
AS. hraca throat, G. rachen throat, E. retch.]
The neck and spine of a fore quarter of veal or mutton.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Rack \Rack\, n. [See Wreck.]
A wreck; destruction. [Obs., except in a few phrases.]
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Rack and ruin, destruction; utter ruin. [Colloq.]
To go to rack, to perish; to be destroyed. [Colloq.] "All
goes to rack." --Pepys.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Rack \Rack\, n. [Prob. fr. Icel. rek drift, motion, and akin to
reka to drive, and E. wrack, wreck. [root]282.]
Thin, flying, broken clouds, or any portion of floating vapor
in the sky. --Shak.
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The winds in the upper region, which move the clouds
above, which we call the rack, . . . pass without
noise. --Bacon.
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And the night rack came rolling up. --C. Kingsley.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
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[aum]cka, Icel. rekja to spread
out, Goth. refrakjan to stretch out; cf. L. porrigere, Gr.
'ore`gein. [root]115. Cf. Right, a., Ratch.]
1. An instrument or frame used for stretching, extending,
retaining, or displaying, something. Specifically:
(a) An engine of torture, consisting of a large frame,
upon which the body was gradually stretched until,
sometimes, the joints were dislocated; -- formerly
used judicially for extorting confessions from
criminals or suspected persons.
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During the troubles of the fifteenth century, a
rack was introduced into the Tower, and was
occasionally used under the plea of political
necessity. --Macaulay.
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(b) An instrument for bending a bow.
(c) A grate on which bacon is laid.
(d) A frame or device of various construction for holding,
and preventing the waste of, hay, grain, etc.,
supplied to beasts.
(e) A frame on which articles are deposited for keeping or
arranged for display; as, a clothes rack; a bottle
rack, etc.
(f) (Naut.) A piece or frame of wood, having several
sheaves, through which the running rigging passes; --
called also rack block. Also, a frame to hold shot.
(g) (Mining) A frame or table on which ores are separated
or washed.
(h) A frame fitted to a wagon for carrying hay, straw, or
grain on the stalk, or other bulky loads.
(i) A distaff.
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2. (Mech.) A bar with teeth on its face, or edge, to work
with those of a wheel, pinion, or worm, which is to drive
it or be driven by it.
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3. That which is extorted; exaction. [Obs.] --Sir E. Sandys.
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Mangle rack. (Mach.) See under Mangle. n.
Rack block. (Naut.) See def. 1
(f), above.
Rack lashing, a lashing or binding where the rope is
tightened, and held tight by the use of a small stick of
wood twisted around.
Rack rail (Railroads), a toothed rack, laid as a rail, to
afford a hold for teeth on the driving wheel of a
locomotive for climbing steep gradients, as in ascending a
mountain.
Rack saw, a saw having wide teeth.
Rack stick, the stick used in a rack lashing.
To be on the rack, to suffer torture, physical or mental.
To live at rack and manger, to live on the best at
another's expense. [Colloq.]
To put to the rack, to subject to torture; to torment.
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A fit of the stone puts a king to the rack, and
makes him as miserable as it does the meanest
subject. --Sir W.
Temple.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Rack \Rack\, v. i.
To fly, as vapor or broken clouds.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Rack \Rack\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Racked (r[a^]kt); p. pr. &
vb. n. Racking.] [See Rack that which stretches, or
Rock, v.]
To amble fast, causing a rocking or swaying motion of the
body; to pace; -- said of a horse. --Fuller.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Rack \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.
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He was racked and miserably tormented. --Foxe.
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2. To torment; to torture; to affect with extreme pain or
anguish.
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Vaunting aloud but racked with deep despair.
--Milton.
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3. To stretch or strain, in a figurative sense; hence, to
harass, or oppress by extortion.
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The landlords there shamefully rack their tenants.
--Spenser.
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They [landlords] rack their rents an ace too high.
--Gascoigne.
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Grant that I may never rack a Scripture simile
beyond the true intent thereof. --Fuller.
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Try what my credit can in Venice do;
That shall be racked even to the uttermost. --Shak.
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4. (Mining) To wash on a rack, as metals or ore.
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5. (Naut.) To bind together, as two ropes, with cross turns
of yarn, marline, etc.
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To rack one's brains or To rack one's brains out or To
rack one's wits, to exert one's thinking processes to the
utmost for the purpose of accomplishing something; as, I
racked my brains out trying to find a way to solve the
problem.
[1913 Webster +PJC]
Syn: To torture; torment; rend; tear.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
rack
n 1: framework for holding objects
2: rib section of a forequarter of veal or pork or especially
lamb or mutton
3: the destruction or collapse of something; "wrack and ruin"
[syn: wrack, rack]
4: an instrument of torture that stretches or disjoints or
mutilates victims [syn: rack, wheel]
5: a support for displaying various articles; "the newspapers
were arranged on a rack" [syn: rack, stand]
6: a form of torture in which pain is inflicted by stretching
the body
7: a rapid gait of a horse in which each foot strikes the ground
separately [syn: rack, single-foot]
v 1: go at a rack; "the horses single-footed" [syn: single-
foot, rack]
2: stretch to the limits; "rack one's brains"
3: put on a rack and pinion; "rack a camera"
4: obtain by coercion or intimidation; "They extorted money from
the executive by threatening to reveal his past to the
company boss"; "They squeezed money from the owner of the
business by threatening him" [syn: extort, squeeze,
rack, gouge, wring]
5: run before a gale [syn: scud, rack]
6: fly in high wind
7: draw off from the lees; "rack wine"
8: torment emotionally or mentally [syn: torment, torture,
excruciate, rack]
9: work on a rack; "rack leather"
10: seize together, as of parallel ropes of a tackle in order to
prevent running through the block
11: torture on the rack
The Devil's Dictionary (1881-1906):
RACK, n. An argumentative implement formerly much used in persuading
devotees of a false faith to embrace the living truth. As a call to
the unconverted the rack never had any particular efficacy, and is now
held in light popular esteem.