Webster's English Dictionary

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rack

Cross references:
  1. afflict               
 
1. rack \'rak\ n [ME rak, prob. of Scand origin; akin to Sw dial. rak 
   wreck; akin to] OE wrecan to drive - more at WREAK : a wind-driven mass of 
   high often broken clouds 
2. rack vi : to fly or scud in high wind 
3. rack n [ME, prob. fr. MD rec framework; akin to OE reccan to stretch, Gk 
   (Xoregein - more at RIGHT 1: a framework for holding fodder for livestock  
   2: an instrument of torture on which a body is stretched  3a1: a cause of 
   anguish or pain  3a2: acute suffering  3b: STRAINING, WRENCHING  4: a 
   framework, stand, or grating on or in which articles are placed  5: a frame 
   placed in a stream to stop fish and floating or suspended matter  6a: a bar 
   with teeth on one face for gearing with a pinion or worm gear  6b: a 
   notched bar used as a ratchet to engage with a pawl, click, or detent  7: a 
   triangular frame used to set up the balls in a pool game; also :: the balls 
   as set up : under great mental or emotional stress  - on the rack 
4. rack vt 1: to torture on the rack  2: to cause to suffer torture, pain, 
   or anguish  3a: to stretch or strain violently {~ed his brains}  3b: to 
   raise (rents) oppressively  3c: to harass or oppress with high rents or 
   extortions  4: to work or treat (material) on a rack  5: to seize (as 
   parallel ropes of a tackle) together  6: to place (as pool balls) in a rack 
    : to become forced out of shape or out of plumb  - rack.er n
5. rack vt [ME rakken, fr. OProv arraca] : to draw off (as wine) from the 
   lees 
6. rack vi [prob. alter. of 1rock] of a horse  : to go at a rack 
7. rack n : either of two gaits of a horse :  : PACE  : a fast showy usu. 
   artificial 4-beat gait 
8. rack n [perh. fr. 3rack] 1: the neck and spine of a forequarter of veal, 
   pork, or esp. mutton  2: the rib section of a forequarter 
9. rack n [alter. of wrack] : DESTRUCTION {~ and ruin}