rack [rackracksrackedracking] noun, verb BrE [ræk] NAmE [ræk] noun 1. (often in compounds)a piece of equipment, usually made of metal or wooden bars, that is used for holding things or for hanging things on •a vegetable/wine/plate/toast rack •I looked through a rack of clothes at the back of the shop. •Remove the cakes from the oven and cool on a wire rack. see also ↑luggage rack, ↑roof rack 2. (usually the rack)an instrument of ↑torture, used in the past for punishing and hurting people. Their arms and legs were tied to the wooden frame and then pulled in opposite directions, stretching the body. 3.~ of lamb/pork a particular piece of meat that includes the front ↑ribs and is cooked in the oven 4. a part of a machine that consists of a bar with parts that a wheel or gear can fit into
Word Origin: n. senses 1 to 2 and v. Middle English Middle Dutch rec Middle Low German rek ‘horizontal bar or shelf’ recken ‘to stretch, reach’ n. sense 3 late 16th cent.
Example Bank: •Spread the flowers out to dry on a rack. •The racks along the wall held most of the costumes. •The wine is stored in special racks. •We fixed the canoe onto the car's roof rack. •a rack for storing apples •racks of magazines Idioms: ↑go to rack and ruin▪ ↑off the rack▪ ↑on the rack▪ ↑rack your brain Derived: ↑rack up something
verb (also less frequent wrack)often passive ~ sb/sth to make sb suffer great physical or mental pain •to be racked with/by guilt •Her face was racked with pain. •Violent sobs racked her whole body. • (BrE)a racking cough Verb forms:
Word Origin: n. senses 1 to 2 and v. Middle English Middle Dutch rec Middle Low German rek ‘horizontal bar or shelf’ recken ‘to stretch, reach’ n. sense 3 late 16th cent.
