1
a
: an implement equipped with projecting prongs to gather material (such as leaves) or for loosening or smoothing the surface of the ground
b
: a machine for gathering hay
2
: an implement like a rake
raked; raking
1
: to gather, loosen, or smooth with or as if with a rake
rake leaves into a pile
2
: to gain rapidly or in abundance
—usually used with in
rake in a fortune
4
: to censure severely
5
: to search through : ransack
6
: to sweep the length of especially with gunfire : enfilade
7
: to glance over rapidly
raker
noun
1
: inclination from the perpendicular
especially
: the overhang of a ship's bow or stern
2
: inclination from the horizontal : slope
3
: the angle between the top cutting surface of a tool and a plane perpendicular to the surface of the work
Synonyms
Verb (1)
Noun (2)
Noun (3)
Examples of rake in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Steve Bender, Southern Living, 17 Apr. 2024
The 12-piece set includes a watering can, shovels, rakes, gardening gloves, and more.
—Maya Polton, Parents, 18 Mar. 2024
Best Pet Hair Remover: Uproot Cleaner Xtra This rake went deep into carpet pile to pull up fur that vacuums don’t always reach.
—Ella Field, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Mar. 2024
The city of Borger, Texas, urged people in a social media post to redirect donation efforts from food and water to clean-up supplies including shovels, rakes, gloves and trash bags.
___
Associated Press writers Thomas Strong in Washington and Trisha Ahmed in Minneapolis contributed to this report.
—Valerie Gonzalez, Fortune, 4 Mar. 2024
If a man was a rake he’d be found out and hung out to dry—after all, that was what happened in all Jane Austen’s novels.
—Plum Sykes, Vogue, 13 Feb. 2024
This three-piece garden tool set includes a hand rake, transplant trowel, and hand trowel to help with planting, weeding, digging, and everything in between.
—Wendy Vazquez, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Apr. 2024
Officers were seen carrying rakes and buckets into the woods, per WSYR-TV.
—Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 26 Mar. 2024
In order to lure players, some poker sites return some of that rake back to the players.
—Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2024
Cynthia Howell, arkansasonline.com, 14 Apr. 2024
Be sure to pick up any dog poop before raking or mowing, since the city compost facility does not accept animal waste.
—Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 9 Apr. 2024
Volunteers will help with raking and mulching to prepare the area for native plants.
—Anne Gelhaus, The Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2024
Wear a mask to avoid inhaling fungal spores stirred up by raking.
—USA TODAY, 26 Mar. 2024
At least 140 people died when attackers stormed Crocus City Hall, a shopping and entertainment complex on Moscow’s northwestern edge, first raking concertgoers with gunfire and then setting the venue ablaze.
—Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2024
During the growing season, raking needs to be done to loosen the soil for the seed to settle into.
—Chris McKeown, The Enquirer, 3 Feb. 2024
The production moved up shooting to Saturday, ahead of a major storm that was expected to rake across California from Sunday through Tuesday.
—Ariane Lange, Sacramento Bee, 4 Feb. 2024
Essentially, the soil loosens itself, eliminating the need for raking.
—Chris McKeown, The Enquirer, 3 Feb. 2024
Noun
Use a leaf blower instead of a rake, which can scrape off or damage moss.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 17 Apr. 2024
The 12-piece set includes a watering can, shovels, rakes, gardening gloves, and more.
—Maya Polton, Parents, 18 Mar. 2024
Best Pet Hair Remover: Uproot Cleaner Xtra This rake went deep into carpet pile to pull up fur that vacuums don’t always reach.
—Ella Field, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Mar. 2024
The city of Borger, Texas, urged people in a social media post to redirect donation efforts from food and water to clean-up supplies including shovels, rakes, gloves and trash bags.
___
Associated Press writers Thomas Strong in Washington and Trisha Ahmed in Minneapolis contributed to this report.
—Valerie Gonzalez, Fortune, 4 Mar. 2024
If a man was a rake he’d be found out and hung out to dry—after all, that was what happened in all Jane Austen’s novels.
—Plum Sykes, Vogue, 13 Feb. 2024
This three-piece garden tool set includes a hand rake, transplant trowel, and hand trowel to help with planting, weeding, digging, and everything in between.
—Wendy Vazquez, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Apr. 2024
Officers were seen carrying rakes and buckets into the woods, per WSYR-TV.
—Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 26 Mar. 2024
In order to lure players, some poker sites return some of that rake back to the players.
—Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2024
Verb
On those service days and throughout the school year classes of students have taken turns picking up trash, raking and weeding beds, working in food pantries, helping at elementary schools and local nursing homes, and building wooden bird feeders and yard sets of dominoes.
—Cynthia Howell, arkansasonline.com, 14 Apr. 2024
Be sure to pick up any dog poop before raking or mowing, since the city compost facility does not accept animal waste.
—Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 9 Apr. 2024
Volunteers will help with raking and mulching to prepare the area for native plants.
—Anne Gelhaus, The Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2024
Wear a mask to avoid inhaling fungal spores stirred up by raking.
—USA TODAY, 26 Mar. 2024
At least 140 people died when attackers stormed Crocus City Hall, a shopping and entertainment complex on Moscow’s northwestern edge, first raking concertgoers with gunfire and then setting the venue ablaze.
—Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2024
During the growing season, raking needs to be done to loosen the soil for the seed to settle into.
—Chris McKeown, The Enquirer, 3 Feb. 2024
The production moved up shooting to Saturday, ahead of a major storm that was expected to rake across California from Sunday through Tuesday.
—Ariane Lange, Sacramento Bee, 4 Feb. 2024
Essentially, the soil loosens itself, eliminating the need for raking.
—Chris McKeown, The Enquirer, 3 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rake.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near rake
Cite this Entry
“Rake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rake. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rake
1 of 3 noun1
: a garden tool with a long handle and prongs at the end
2
: a machine for gathering hay
rake
2 of 3 verb
raked; raking
1
: to gather, loosen, or smooth with or as if with a rake
rake leaves
raking in money
2
a
: to touch in passing over lightly
3
: to search through : ransack
rake the records for evidence
4
: to sweep the length of with or as if with gunfire
raker
noun
rake
3 of 3 nounEtymology
Noun
Old English racu "a tool for gathering up grass or straw"
Noun
a shortened form of earlier rakehell (same meaning)
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