Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Rack
Rack
,Noun.
[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.
Rack
,Noun.
[See
Wreck
.] A wreck; destruction.
[Obs., except in a few phrases.]
Rack and ruin
, destruction; utter ruin.
[Colloq.]
– To go to rack
, to perish; to be destroyed.
[Colloq.]
“All goes to rack.” Pepys.
Rack
,Noun.
[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.
The winds in the upper region, which move the clouds above, which we call the
rack
, . . . pass without noise. Bacon.
And the night
rack
came rolling up. C. Kingsley.
Rack
,Verb.
I.
To fly, as vapor or broken clouds.
Rack
,Noun.
A fast amble.
Rack
,Verb.
T.
[Cf. OF.
vin raqué
wine squeezed from the dregs of the grapes.] To draw off from the lees or sediment, as wine.
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.
Rack vintage
, wine cleansed and drawn from the lees.
Cowell.
Rack
,Noun.
1.
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.
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.
(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.
2.
(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.
3.
That which is extorted; exaction.
[Obs.]
Sir E. Sandys.
Mangle rack
. (Mach.)
See under
– Mangle
. Noun.
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.
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.
Rack
(răk)
, Verb.
T.
1.
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.
He was
racked
and miserably tormented. Foxe.
2.
To torment; to torture; to affect with extreme pain or anguish.
Vaunting aloud but
racked
with deep despair. Milton.
3.
To stretch or strain, in a figurative sense; hence, to harass, or oppress by extortion.
The landlords there shamefully
rack
their tenants. Spenser.
They [landlords]
rack
their rents an ace too high. Gascoigne.
Grant that I may never
rack
a Scripture simile beyond the true intent thereof. Fuller.
Try what my credit can in Venice do;
That shall be
That shall be
racked
even to the uttermost. Shakespeare
4.
(Mining)
To wash on a rack, as metals or ore.
5.
(Naut.)
To bind together, as two ropes, with cross turns of yarn, marline, etc.
Syn. – To torture; torment; rend; tear.
Webster 1828 Edition
Rack
RACK
,Noun.
1.
An engine of torture, used for extorting confessions from criminals or suspected persons. The rack is entirely unknown in free countries.2.
Torture; extreme pain; anguish.A fit of the stone puts a king to the rack and makes him as miserable as it does the meanest subject.
3.
Any instrument for stretching or extending any thing; as a rack for bending a bow.4.
A grate on which bacon is laid.5.
A wooden frame of open work in which hay is laid for horses and cattle for feeding.6.
The frame of bones of an animal; a skeleton. We say, a rack of bones.7.
A frame of timber on a ship's bowsprit.RACK
,Noun.
The neck and spine of a fore quarter of veal or mutton.
[The two foregoing words are doubtless from one original.]
RACK
,Noun.
Properly, vapor; hence, thin flying broken clouds, or any portion of floating vapor in the sky.
The winds in the upper region, which move the clouds above, which we call the rack -
The great globe itself, yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve, and, like this unsubstantial pageant, faded, leave not a rack behind.
It is disputed however, whether rack in this passage should not be wreck.
RACK
,Noun.
RACK
,Verb.
I.
1.
Properly, to steam; to rise, as vapor.[See Reek, which is the word used.]
2.
To fly, as vapor or broken clouds.