rack

rack1 [ ræk ] noun count *

1. ) an object used for storing things that consists of a row of small shelves, spaces, or hooks:

She flicked through the clothes on the rack, looking for something suitable.

a wine rack

a vegetable rack

a ) a metal shelf in an oven on which food is placed while it cooks

2. ) AMERICAN a TRIANGLE-shaped frame used for organizing balls at the beginning of a game of POOL

3. ) the rack a piece of equipment used in the past for punishing people by stretching their arms and legs

go to rack and ruin

1. ) to become less successful:

The country's going to rack and ruin.

2. ) if a building goes to rack and ruin, the condition of it becomes bad:

Their tenants had let the property go to rack and ruin.

on the rack

in a difficult situation that you cannot deal with:

The interviewer's questions put Bush on the rack.

a rack of lamb/ribs

a large piece of meat from a sheep, cow, or pig that consists of its chest and RIBS

rack

rack 2 [ ræk ] verb transitive

1. ) usually passive if you are racked by pain or unpleasant feelings, you feel them and suffer because of them:

Greg was racked by doubts and indecision.

Violent sobs racked her body.

2. ) rack or rack up to put the balls in a frame before you play a game of POOL

rack your brains

to try hard to think of something:

He racked his brains trying to remember where he had seen her before.

,rack `up phrasal verb transitive INFORMAL

1. ) rack up something to get a large number or amount of something:

The film racked up five Oscar nominations.

a ) to get a large amount of sales or profits:

Last year, they racked up profits of more than two billion dollars.

b ) in sports, to get a large number of points or goals:

Leonardsen racked up his tenth touchdown of the season.

2. ) same as RACK 2 2