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.
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}. 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 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 kingto the rack, and makes
him as miserable as it does the meanest subject.
--Sir W.
Temple.
{Rack and ruin}, destruction; utter ruin. [Colloq.]
{To go to rack}, to perish; to be destroyed. [Colloq.] ``All
goes to rack.'' --Pepys.
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.
He was racked and miserably tormented. --Pope.
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 a Scripture simile beyond the
true intent thereof. --Fuller.
Try what my credit can in Venice do; That shall be
racked even to the uttermost. --Shak.
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.
{To rack one's brains} or {wits}, to exert them to the utmost
for the purpose of accomplishing something.
Syn: To torture; torment; rend; tear.