Result from Foreign Dictionaries (11 entries found)

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]: Rack \Rack\, n. A fast amble. [1913 Webster] From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]: 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. [1913 Webster] 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. [1913 Webster] {Rack vintage}, wine cleansed and drawn from the lees. --Cowell. [1913 Webster] From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]: Rack \Rack\ (r[a^]k), n. Same as {Arrack}. [1913 Webster] From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]: 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. [1913 Webster] From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]: Rack \Rack\, n. [See {Wreck}.] A wreck; destruction. [Obs., except in a few phrases.] [1913 Webster] {Rack and ruin}, destruction; utter ruin. [Colloq.] {To go to rack}, to perish; to be destroyed. [Colloq.] "All goes to rack." --Pepys. [1913 Webster] From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]: 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. [1913 Webster] The winds in the upper region, which move the clouds above, which we call the rack, . . . pass without noise. --Bacon. [1913 Webster] And the night rack came rolling up. --C. Kingsley. [1913 Webster] From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]: 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. [1913 Webster] 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. [1913 Webster] (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. [1913 Webster] 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. [1913 Webster] 3. That which is extorted; exaction. [Obs.] --Sir E. Sandys. [1913 Webster] {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. [1913 Webster] 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. [1913 Webster] From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]: Rack \Rack\, v. i. To fly, as vapor or broken clouds. [1913 Webster] From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]: 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. [1913 Webster] From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]: 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. [1913 Webster] He was racked and miserably tormented. --Foxe. [1913 Webster] 2. To torment; to torture; to affect with extreme pain or anguish. [1913 Webster] Vaunting aloud but racked with deep despair. --Milton. [1913 Webster] 3. To stretch or strain, in a figurative sense; hence, to harass, or oppress by extortion. [1913 Webster] The landlords there shamefully rack their tenants. --Spenser. [1913 Webster] They [landlords] rack their rents an ace too high. --Gascoigne. [1913 Webster] Grant that I may never rack a Scripture simile beyond the true intent thereof. --Fuller. [1913 Webster] Try what my credit can in Venice do; That shall be racked even to the uttermost. --Shak. [1913 Webster] 4. (Mining) To wash on a rack, as metals or ore. [1913 Webster] 5. (Naut.) To bind together, as two ropes, with cross turns of yarn, marline, etc. [1913 Webster] {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. [1913 Webster +PJC] Syn: To torture; torment; rend; tear. [1913 Webster] From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]: rack n 1: framework for holding objects 2: rib section of a forequarter of veal or pork or especially lamb or mutton 3: the destruction or collapse of something; "wrack and ruin" [syn: {wrack}, {rack}] 4: an instrument of torture that stretches or disjoints or mutilates victims [syn: {rack}, {wheel}] 5: a support for displaying various articles; "the newspapers were arranged on a rack" [syn: {rack}, {stand}] 6: a form of torture in which pain is inflicted by stretching the body 7: a rapid gait of a horse in which each foot strikes the ground separately [syn: {rack}, {single-foot}] v 1: go at a rack; "the horses single-footed" [syn: {single- foot}, {rack}] 2: stretch to the limits; "rack one's brains" 3: put on a rack and pinion; "rack a camera" 4: obtain by coercion or intimidation; "They extorted money from the executive by threatening to reveal his past to the company boss"; "They squeezed money from the owner of the business by threatening him" [syn: {extort}, {squeeze}, {rack}, {gouge}, {wring}] 5: run before a gale [syn: {scud}, {rack}] 6: fly in high wind 7: draw off from the lees; "rack wine" 8: torment emotionally or mentally [syn: {torment}, {torture}, {excruciate}, {rack}] 9: work on a rack; "rack leather" 10: seize together, as of parallel ropes of a tackle in order to prevent running through the block 11: torture on the rack