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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Rack \Rack\, n.
A fast amble.
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Rack \Rack\, v. t. [Cf. OF. vin raqu['e] wine squeezed from the
dregs of the grapes.]
To draw off from the lees or sediment, as wine.
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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.
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{Rack vintage}, wine cleansed and drawn from the lees.
--Cowell.
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Rack \Rack\ (r[a^]k), n.
Same as {Arrack}.
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Rack \Rack\, n. [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.
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Rack \Rack\, n. [See {Wreck}.]
A wreck; destruction. [Obs., except in a few phrases.]
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{Rack and ruin}, destruction; utter ruin. [Colloq.]

{To go to rack}, to perish; to be destroyed. [Colloq.] "All
goes to rack." --Pepys.
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Rack \Rack\, n. [Prob. fr. Icel. rek drift, motion, and akin to
reka to drive, and E. wrack, wreck. [root]282.]
Thin, flying, broken clouds, or any portion of floating vapor
in the sky. --Shak.
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The winds in the upper region, which move the clouds
above, which we call the rack, . . . pass without
noise. --Bacon.
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And the night rack came rolling up. --C. Kingsley.
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Rack \Rack\, n. [Probably fr. D. rek, rekbank, a rack, rekken to
stretch; akin to G. reck, reckbank, a rack, recken to
stretch, Dan. r[ae]kke, Sw. r[aum]cka, Icel. rekja to spread
out, Goth. refrakjan to stretch out; cf. L. porrigere, Gr.
'ore`gein. [root]115. Cf. {Right}, a., {Ratch}.]
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.
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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.
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(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.
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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.
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3. That which is extorted; exaction. [Obs.] --Sir E. Sandys.
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{Mangle rack}. (Mach.) See under {Mangle}. n.

{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.
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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.
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Rack \Rack\, v. i.
To fly, as vapor or broken clouds.
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Rack \Rack\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Racked} (r[a^]kt); p. pr. &
vb. n. {Racking}.] [See {Rack} that which stretches, or
{Rock}, v.]
To amble fast, causing a rocking or swaying motion of the
body; to pace; -- said of a horse. --Fuller.
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Rack \Rack\ (r[a^]k), v. 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.
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He was racked and miserably tormented. --Foxe.
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2. To torment; to torture; to affect with extreme pain or
anguish.
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Vaunting aloud but racked with deep despair.
--Milton.
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3. To stretch or strain, in a figurative sense; hence, to
harass, or oppress by extortion.
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The landlords there shamefully rack their tenants.
--Spenser.
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They [landlords] rack their rents an ace too high.
--Gascoigne.
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Grant that I may never rack a Scripture simile
beyond the true intent thereof. --Fuller.
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Try what my credit can in Venice do;
That shall be racked even to the uttermost. --Shak.
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4. (Mining) To wash on a rack, as metals or ore.
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5. (Naut.) To bind together, as two ropes, with cross turns
of yarn, marline, etc.
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{To rack one's brains} or {To rack one's brains out} or {To
rack one's wits}, to exert one's thinking processes to the
utmost for the purpose of accomplishing something; as, I
racked my brains out trying to find a way to solve the
problem.
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Syn: To torture; torment; rend; tear.
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