Meaning of rack in English

  1. Pronunciation

    /ræk/

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  1. 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. 2. stretch to the limits

    Examples

    • « rack one's brains »
  3. 3. put on a rack and pinion

    Examples

    • « rack a camera »
  4. 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. 5. run before a gale
  6. 6. fly in high wind
  7. 7. draw off from the lees

    Examples

    • « rack wine »
  8. 8. torment emotionally or mentally
  9. 9. work on a rack

    Examples

    • « rack leather »
  10. 10. seize together, as of parallel ropes of a tackle in order to prevent running through the block
  11. 11. torture on the rack

  12. 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
  13. 2. rib section of a forequarter of veal or pork or especially lamb or mutton
  14. 3. the destruction or collapse of something

    Examples

    • « wrack and ruin »
  15. 4. an instrument of torture that stretches or disjoints or mutilates victims
  16. 5. a support for displaying various articles

    Examples

    • « the newspapers were arranged on a rack »
  17. 6. a rapid gait of a horse in which each foot strikes the ground separately