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Meaning of rack in English
Pronunciation
/ræk/
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Verb
rack
Etymology
late 15th century: from Provençal arracar, from raca‘stems and husks of grapes, dregs’
Definitions
1.
go at a rack
Examples
« the horses single-footed »
2.
stretch to the limits
Examples
« rack one's brains »
3.
put on a rack and pinion
Examples
« rack a camera »
4.
obtain by coercion or intimidation
Examples
« 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 »
5.
run before a gale
6.
fly in high wind
7.
draw off from the lees
Examples
« rack wine »
8.
torment emotionally or mentally
9.
work on a rack
Examples
« 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
Noun
rack
Etymology
Middle English: from Middle Dutch rec, Middle Low German rek‘horizontal bar or shelf’, probably from recken‘to stretch, reach’ (possibly the source of rack (sense 1 of the verb))
Definitions
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
Examples
« wrack and ruin »
4.
an instrument of torture that stretches or disjoints or mutilates victims
5.
a support for displaying various articles
Examples
« the newspapers were arranged on a rack »
6.
a rapid gait of a horse in which each foot strikes the ground separately