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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

verb

Definition of RACK

intransitive verb

: to fly or scud in high wind

First Known Use of RACK

1590

³rack

noun

Definition of RACK

: a framework for holding fodder for livestock

: an instrument of torture on which a body is stretched

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

b : the action of straining or wrenching

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

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

: a pair of antlers

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

: 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

: to torture on the rack

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

a : to stretch or strain violently

b : to raise (rents) oppressively

c : to harass or oppress with high rents or extortions

: to work or treat (material) on a rack

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

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

: 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

Synonym Discussion of RACK

afflict, try, torment, torture, rack mean to inflict on a person something that is hard to bear. afflict is a general term and applies to the causing of pain or suffering or of acute annoyance, embarrassment, or any distress <ills that afflict the elderly>. try suggests imposing something that strains the powers of endurance or of self-control <children often try their parents' patience>. torment suggests persecution or the repeated inflicting of suffering or annoyance <a horse tormented by flies>. torture adds the implication of causing unbearable pain or suffering <tortured by a sense of guilt>. rack stresses straining or wrenching <a body racked by pain>.

⁵rack

verb

Definition of RACK

transitive verb

: 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