rack

¹rack

noun \ˈrak\

Definition of RACK

: a wind-driven mass of high often broken clouds

Origin of RACK

Middle English rak rain cloud, rapid movement

First Known Use: 14th century

Rhymes with RACK

back, black, Braque, clack, claque, crack, flack, flak, hack, jack, knack, lac, lack, lakh, mac, Mac, pack, plaque, quack, sac, sack, sacque, shack, slack, smack, snack, stack, tach, tack, thwack, track, Wac, wack, whack, wrack, yak

²rack

intransitive verb

Definition of RACK

: to fly or scud in high wind

First Known Use of RACK

1590

³rack

noun

Definition of RACK

1

: a framework for holding fodder for livestock

2

: an instrument of torture on which a body is stretched

3

a (1) : a cause of anguish or pain (2) : acute suffering

b : the action of straining or wrenching

4

: a framework, stand, or grating on or in which articles are placed

5

a : a bar with teeth on one face for gearing with a pinion or worm gear to transform rotary motion to linear motion or vice versa (as in an automobile steering mechanism)

b : a notched bar used as a ratchet to engage with a pawl, click, or detent

6

: a pair of antlers

7

: a triangular frame used to set up the balls in a pool game; also : the balls as set up

8

: bed, sack

— rack·ful \-ˌfu̇l\ noun

— on the rack

: under great emotional stress

Origin of RACK

Middle English, probably from Middle Dutch rec framework; akin to Old English reccan to stretch, Greek oregein — more at right

First Known Use: 14th century

Other Animal Husbandry Terms

apiary, bantam, calico, girth, hogwash, mast, rut

⁴rack

verb

Definition of RACK

transitive verb

1

: to torture on the rack

2

: to cause to suffer torture, pain, anguish, or ruin

3

a : to stretch or strain violently

b : to raise (rents) oppressively

c : to harass or oppress with high rents or extortions

4

: to work or treat (material) on a rack

5

: to work by a rack and pinion or worm so as to extend or contract <rack a camera>

6

: to seize (as parallel ropes of a tackle) together

7

: to place (as pool balls) in a rack

intransitive verb

: to become forced out of shape or out of plumb

— rack·er noun

— rack·ing·ly \ˈra-kiŋ-lē\ adverb

First Known Use of RACK

15th century

⁵rack

transitive verb

Definition of RACK

: to draw off (as wine) from the lees

Origin of RACK

Middle English rakken, from Old French (Norman & Picard dialect) reequier, probably from Late Latin reaedificare to rebuild, repair, improve, from Latin re- + aedificare to build — more at edify

First Known Use: 15th century

⁶rack

intransitive verb

Definition of RACK

of a horse

: to go at a rack

Origin of RACK

probably alteration of ¹rock

First Known Use: 1530

⁷rack

noun

Definition of RACK

: either of two gaits of a horse:

a : pace 4b

b : a fast showy 4-beat gait

First Known Use of RACK

1580

⁸rack

noun

Definition of RACK

1

: the neck and spine of a forequarter of veal, pork, or especially mutton

2

: the rib section of a lamb's forequarters used for chops or as a roast — see lamb illustration

Origin of RACK

perhaps from ³rack

First Known Use: 1570

Other Food Terms

Reuben, calamari, chuck, curry, edamame, foie gras, hummus, leaven, nonpareil, peel

⁹rack

noun

Definition of RACK

: destruction <rack and ruin>

Origin of RACK

alteration of wrack

First Known Use: 1592