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.