GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English

last match results

Found 10 definitions

1.       
   Rack , n. Same as Arrack.
   1913 Webster
         
       

2.       
   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.
   1913 Webster
         
       

3.       
   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
   
         
       

4.       
   Rack, n. [Prob. fr. Icel. rek drift, motion, and akin to reka to drive, and E. wrack, wreck. √282.] Thin, flying, broken clouds, or any portion of floating vapor in the sky.
   Shak.
   
   1913 Webster
   The winds in the upper region, which move the clouds above, which we call the rack, . . . pass without noise.
   Bacon.
   
   1913 Webster
   And the night rack came rolling up.
   C. Kingsley.
   
   1913 Webster
   
         
       

5.       
   Rack, v. i. To fly, as vapor or broken clouds.
   1913 Webster
         
       

6.       
   Rack, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Racked ; 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.
   
   1913 Webster
         
       

7.       
   Rack, n. A fast amble.
   1913 Webster
         
       

8.       
   Rack, v. t. [Cf. OF. vin raqué wine squeezed from the dregs of the grapes.] To draw off from the lees or sediment, as wine.
   1913 Webster
   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.
   
   1913 Webster
   Rack vintage, wine cleansed and drawn from the lees. Cowell.
   1913 Webster
   
         
       

9.       
   Rack, n. [Probably fr. D. rek, rekbank, a rack, rekken to stretch; akin to G. reck, reckbank, a rack, recken to stretch, Dan. række, Sw. räcka, Icel. rekja to spread out, Goth. refrakjan to stretch out; cf. L. porrigere, Gr. ὀρέγειν. √115. Cf. Right, a., Ratch.]
    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.
   1913 Webster
   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.
   
   1913 Webster
   (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.
   1913 Webster
   (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.
   1913 Webster
   That which is extorted; exaction. [Obs.]
   Sir E. Sandys.
   
   1913 Webster
   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.
   1913 Webster
   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.
   
   1913 Webster
   
         
       

10.       
    Rack , v. t.
    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 tormented.
    Foxe.
    
    1913 Webster
    To torment; to torture; to affect with extreme pain or anguish.
    1913 Webster
    Vaunting aloud but racked with deep despair.
    Milton.
    
    1913 Webster
    To stretch or strain, in a figurative sense; hence, to harass, or oppress by extortion.
    1913 Webster
    The landlords there shamefully rack their tenants.
    Spenser.
    
    1913 Webster
    They [landlords] rack their rents an ace too high.
    Gascoigne.
    
    1913 Webster
    Grant that I may never rack a Scripture simile beyond the true intent thereof.
    Fuller.
    
    1913 Webster
    Try what my credit can in Venice do;
    That shall be racked even to the uttermost.
    Shak.
    
    1913 Webster
    (Mining) To wash on a rack, as metals or ore.
    1913 Webster
    (Naut.) To bind together, as two ropes, with cross turns of yarn, marline, etc.
    1913 Webster
    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.
    1913 Webster