SINCE 1828
the rack
nounDefinition of the rack
: a machine used in the past to hurt people by stretching their bodies
prisoners tortured on the rack
—sometimes used figuratively The interviewer put me on the rack and asked some really tough questions.
Comments on the rack
What made you want to look up the rack? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Name That Thing: Animal Edition
-
- Name that animal:
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
-
Name That Thing: Animal Edition
How many animals can you identify?
Take the quiz -
The Exceptions Quiz
One of these things is not like the others.
Take the quiz -
Spell It
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
Take the quiz -
Citation
Do you know the person or title these quotes describe?
Play the game
Share the rack
Resources for the rack