Rack, rak, n. same as Wrack=Wreck—now used only in the phrases Go to rack, Go to rack and ruin. [Cf. the next word.]
Rack, rak, n. thin or broken clouds drifting across the sky.—v.i. to drift, to drive. [Wrack; cf. Ice. rek.]
Rack, rak, v.t. to strain or draw off from the lees, as wine.—ns. Rack′ing-can, a vessel from which wine can be drawn without disturbing the lees; Rack′ing-cock, -fau′cet, a cock used in drawing off liquour from a cask; Rack′ing-pump, a pump for the transfer of liquor to casks. [O. Fr. raquer, vin raqué; prob. cog. with Sp. rascar, to scrape.]
Rack, rak, n. (prov.) the neck and spine of a fore-quarter of veal or mutton: the neck of mutton or pork.
Rack, rak, n. the gait of a horse between a trot and a gallop.—n. Rack′er, a horse that moves in this gait. [Perh. rack, to drift, or rock.]
Rack, rak, n. same as Arrack.—Rack punch, a punch made with arrack.
Rack, rak, n. a young rabbit. [Orig. unknown.]
Rackabones, rak′a-bōnz, n. (Amer.) a very lean person or animal.
Rackarock, rak′a-rok, n. an explosive of potassium chlorate and nitro-benzol.—Also Rend′rock.
Racket, Racquet, rak′et, n. a bat for playing tennis: a snow-shoe: an organ-stop: a 17th-cent. musical instrument: (pl.) a modern variety of the old game of tennis.—v.t. to strike, as with a racket.—ns. Rack′et-, Racq′uet-court, -ground, a court for playing rackets: a tennis-court; Rack′et-tail, a humming-bird with two feathers like rackets.—adj. Rack′et-tailed. [O. Fr. rachete (Fr. raquette)—Sp. raqueta—Ar. rāhat, the palm of the hand.]