racketh

Verb

rack (third-person singular simple present racks, present participle racking, simple past and past participle racked)

1. To place in or hang on a rack.
2. To torture (someone) on the rack.
   • He was racked and miserably tormented.1563 March 30 (Gregorian calendar), John Foxe, Actes and Monuments of These Latter and Perillous Dayes, […], London: […] Iohn Day, […], →OCLC
3. To cause (someone) to suffer pain.
   • Vaunting aloud but racked with deep despair.1667, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished...

   Synonyms:

   torment, torture, ache, afflict, aggrieve, agonize, anguish, dere, excruciate, hurt

4. (figuratively) To stretch or strain; to harass, or oppress by extortion.
   • Try what my credit can in Venice do; / That shall be racked even to the uttermost.c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...
5. (obsolete) To alternately concatenate two words to magical effect.
   • Foꝛ when we heare one racke the name of God,/Abiure the ſcriptures, and his Sauiour Chꝛiſt...1589–1592 (date written), Ch[ristopher] Marl[owe], The Tragicall History of D. Faustus. […], London: […] V[alentine] S[immes] for Thomas Bushell, published 1604, →OCLC, signature B2, recto
6. To put the balls into the triangular rack and set them in place on the table.

   Synonyms:

   rack up

See all 43 meanings of rack