rack

• n. [机] 齿条；行李架；拷问台
• vi. 变形；随风飘；小步跑
• vt. 折磨；榨取
• n. (Rack)人名；(法、德、意、匈)拉克

来自古英语 reccan,拉开，展开，来自 Proto-Germanic*rak,拉直，来自 PIE*reg,拉直，词源同 regulate,reach.引申词义支架，架子，后用于指架子状的刑具，引申词义折磨。

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"

4. an instrument of torture that stretches or disjoints or mutilates victims

5. a support for displaying various articles;

"the newspapers were arranged on a rack"

6. a rapid gait of a horse in which each foot strikes the ground separately

rack

rack: English has no fewer than four distinct words rack. The oldest, ‘framework’ [14], was borrowed from Dutch rak, which was probably a derivative of the Middle Dutch verb recken ‘stretch’. Rack ‘destruction’ [16], now used only in the phrase rack and ruin, is a variant of wrack, which is closely related to wreak and wreck. Rack, or wrack, ‘mass of wind-driven cloud’ [14] was probably acquired from Old Norse (Swedish has the probably related rak). And rack ‘drain wine off its lees’ [15] was borrowed from Provençal arracar, a derivative of raca ‘dregs’.
=> wrack, wreak, wreck

rack (n.1)

"frame with bars," c. 1300, possibly from Middle Dutch rec "framework," literally "something stretched out, related to recken (modern rekken) "stretch out," cognate with Old English reccan "to stretch out," from Proto-Germanic *rak- (cognates: Old Saxon rekkian, Old Frisian reza, Old Norse rekja, Old High German recchen, German recken, Gothic uf-rakjan "to stretch out"), from PIE *rog-, from root *reg- "to move in a straight line" (see regal).

Meaning "instrument of torture" first recorded early 15c., perhaps from German rackbank, originally an implement for stretching leather, etc. Mechanical meaning "toothed bar" is from 1797 (see pinion). Meaning "set of antlers" is first attested 1945, American English; hence slang sense of "a woman's breasts" (especially if large), by 1991. Meaning "framework for displaying clothes" is from 1948; hence off the rack (1951) of clothing, as opposed to tailored.

rack (n.2)

type of gait of a horse, 1580s, from rack (v.) "move with a fast, lively gait" 1520s in this sense (implied in racking), of unknown origin; perhaps from French racquassure "racking of a horse in his pace," itself of unknown origin. Or perhaps a variant of rock (v.1).

rack (n.3)

"clouds driven before the wind," c. 1300, also "rush of wind, collision, crash," originally a northern word, possibly from Old English racu "cloud" (or an unrecorded Scandinavian cognate of it), reinforced by Old Norse rek "wreckage, jetsam," or by influence of Old English wræc "something driven;" from Proto-Germanic *wrakaz, from PIE root *wreg- "to push, shove, drive" (see urge (v.)). Often confused with wrack (n.), especially in phrase rack and ruin (1590s). The distinction is that rack is "driven clouds;" wrack is "seaweed cast up on shore."

rack (v.)

"to stretch out for drying," also "to torture on the rack," early 15c., from rack (n.1). Of other pains from 1580s. Figurative sense of "to torment" is from c. 1600. Meaning "raise above a fair level" (of rent, etc.) is from 1550s. Meaning "fit with racks" is from 1580s. Teenager slang meaning "to sleep" is from 1960s (rack (n.) was Navy slang for "bed" in 1940s). Related: Racked; racking. Rack up "register, accumulate, achieve" is first attested 1943 (in "Billboard"), probably from method of keeping score in pool halls.

rack (n.4)

"cut of animal meat and bones," 1560s, of unknown origin; perhaps from some resemblance to rack (n.1). Compare rack-bone "vertebrae" (1610s).

a vegetable/wine/plate/toast rack

蔬菜 / 酒瓶 / 盘碟 / 面包片架

牛津词典

I looked through a rack of clothes at the back of the shop.

我看遍了挂在商店尽里面的一架子衣服。

牛津词典

They let the house go to rack and ruin.

这房子越来越破旧，他们也不管。

牛津词典

to be racked with/by guilt

深感内疚

牛津词典

Her face was racked with pain.

她满脸的痛苦。

牛津词典

Violent sobs racked her whole body.

剧烈的抽泣使她全身抽搐。

牛津词典

(British English)a racking cough

剧烈的咳嗽

牛津词典

She racked her brains, trying to remember exactly what she had said.

她绞尽脑汁，想要回忆起她到底说过些什么话。

牛津词典

The company racked up $200 million in losses in two years.

公司两年内损失累计达2亿元。

牛津词典

In ten years of boxing he racked up a record 176 wins.

在十年的拳击生涯中，他创纪录地累计获胜176次。

牛津词典

My rucksack was too big for the luggage rack...

我的背包太大了，行李架上放不下。

柯林斯高阶英语词典

You have to fight to reach the racks of clothes but the bargains are amazing.

你得费力往前挤才能够到那一架架的衣服，但那些打折品的确超值。

柯林斯高阶英语词典

His already infirm body was racked by high fever...

他已经很虚弱的身体受着高烧的折磨。

柯林斯高阶英语词典

The country is now racked by three violent separatist movements.

这个国家目前正被3场激烈的分离主义运动所困扰。

柯林斯高阶英语词典

She began to rack her brains to remember what had happened at the nursing home.

她开始绞尽脑汁地回忆在疗养院发生的事。

柯林斯高阶英语词典

Only a year ago, he was on the rack with a heroin addiction that began when he was 13.

就在一年前，他还被13岁时开始染上的海洛因毒瘾所折磨。

柯林斯高阶英语词典

...the same off-the-rack dress she's been wearing since the night before...

她从昨晚就一直穿着的同一件成品裙装

柯林斯高阶英语词典

For our clothes, we went to a shop on Hollywood Boulevard, and we just picked it all off the rack.

至于衣服，我们到好莱坞大道上的一家商店里，都是直接挑现成的买。

柯林斯高阶英语词典

I rack my brain trying to remember the answer.

我绞尽脑汁想答案.

期刊摘选

Take your roof rack off your car when you aren t using it, for more savings.

另外,在你没用到车顶架时,将它拆下可以让你省得更多.

期刊摘选

The cough seemed to rack his body.

他咳得全身震动.

《简明英汉词典》

Now your phone can help you rack up savings all over town!

现在你的手机能帮你在全镇到处省钱了!

期刊摘选

His mother sat on the back, grasping the rack without a sound.

母亲默默地坐在自行车后座上, 抓着车座一声不响.

期刊摘选