ZebraWords.com - The Definition of 'Rack-and-pinion railroad', Synonyms of 'Rack-and-pinion railroad' & More on 'Rack-and-pinion railroad'

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Consider searching for the individual words rack, and, pinion, or railroad.

Dictionary Results for rack:

1. WordNet® 3.0 (2006)

rack
    n 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"
       [syn: wrack, rack]
    4: an instrument of torture that stretches or disjoints or
       mutilates victims [syn: rack, wheel]
    5: a support for displaying various articles; "the newspapers
       were arranged on a rack" [syn: rack, stand]
    6: a form of torture in which pain is inflicted by stretching
       the body
    7: a rapid gait of a horse in which each foot strikes the ground
       separately [syn: rack, single-foot]
    v 1: go at a rack; "the horses single-footed" [syn: single-
         foot, rack]
    2: stretch to the limits; "rack one's brains"
    3: put on a rack and pinion; "rack a camera"
    4: obtain by coercion or intimidation; "They extorted money from
       the executive by threatening to reveal his past to the
       company boss"; "They squeezed money from the owner of the
       business by threatening him" [syn: extort, squeeze,
       rack, gouge, wring]
    5: run before a gale [syn: scud, rack]
    6: fly in high wind
    7: draw off from the lees; "rack wine"
    8: torment emotionally or mentally [syn: torment, torture,
       excruciate, rack]
    9: work on a rack; "rack leather"
    10: seize together, as of parallel ropes of a tackle in order to
        prevent running through the block
    11: torture on the rack

2. The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Rack \Rack\, n.
   A fast amble.
   [1913 Webster]

3. The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Rack \Rack\, v. t. [Cf. OF. vin raqu['e] wine squeezed from the
   dregs of the grapes.]
   To draw off from the lees or sediment, as wine.
   [1913 Webster]

         It is in common practice to draw wine or beer from the
         lees (which we call racking), whereby it will clarify
         much the sooner.                         --Bacon.
   [1913 Webster]

   Rack vintage, wine cleansed and drawn from the lees.
      --Cowell.
      [1913 Webster]

4. The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Rack \Rack\ (r[a^]k), n.
   Same as Arrack.
   [1913 Webster]

5. The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Rack \Rack\, n. [AS. hracca neck, hinder part of the head; cf.
   AS. hraca throat, G. rachen throat, E. retch.]
   The neck and spine of a fore quarter of veal or mutton.
   [1913 Webster]

6. The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Rack \Rack\, n. [See Wreck.]
   A wreck; destruction. [Obs., except in a few phrases.]
   [1913 Webster]

   Rack and ruin, destruction; utter ruin. [Colloq.]

   To go to rack, to perish; to be destroyed. [Colloq.] "All
      goes to rack." --Pepys.
      [1913 Webster]

7. The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Rack \Rack\, n. [Prob. fr. Icel. rek drift, motion, and akin to
   reka to drive, and E. wrack, wreck. [root]282.]
   Thin, flying, broken clouds, or any portion of floating vapor
   in the sky. --Shak.
   [1913 Webster]

         The winds in the upper region, which move the clouds
         above, which we call the rack, . . . pass without
         noise.                                   --Bacon.
   [1913 Webster]

         And the night rack came rolling up.      --C. Kingsley.
   [1913 Webster]

8. The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Rack \Rack\, n. [Probably fr. D. rek, rekbank, a rack, rekken to
   stretch; akin to G. reck, reckbank, a rack, recken to
   stretch, Dan. r[ae]kke, Sw. r[aum]cka, Icel. rekja to spread
   out, Goth. refrakjan to stretch out; cf. L. porrigere, Gr.
   'ore`gein. [root]115. Cf. Right, a., Ratch.]
   1. An instrument or frame used for stretching, extending,
      retaining, or displaying, something. Specifically:
      (a) An engine of torture, consisting of a large frame,
          upon which the body was gradually stretched until,
          sometimes, the joints were dislocated; -- formerly
          used judicially for extorting confessions from
          criminals or suspected persons.
          [1913 Webster]

                During the troubles of the fifteenth century, a
                rack was introduced into the Tower, and was
                occasionally used under the plea of political
                necessity.                        --Macaulay.
          [1913 Webster]
      (b) An instrument for bending a bow.
      (c) A grate on which bacon is laid.
      (d) A frame or device of various construction for holding,
          and preventing the waste of, hay, grain, etc.,
          supplied to beasts.
      (e) A frame on which articles are deposited for keeping or
          arranged for display; as, a clothes rack; a bottle
          rack, etc.
      (f) (Naut.) A piece or frame of wood, having several
          sheaves, through which the running rigging passes; --
          called also rack block. Also, a frame to hold shot.
      (g) (Mining) A frame or table on which ores are separated
          or washed.
      (h) A frame fitted to a wagon for carrying hay, straw, or
          grain on the stalk, or other bulky loads.
      (i) A distaff.
          [1913 Webster]

   2. (Mech.) A bar with teeth on its face, or edge, to work
      with those of a wheel, pinion, or worm, which is to drive
      it or be driven by it.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. That which is extorted; exaction. [Obs.] --Sir E. Sandys.
      [1913 Webster]

   Mangle rack. (Mach.) See under Mangle. n.

   Rack block. (Naut.) See def. 1
      (f), above.

   Rack lashing, a lashing or binding where the rope is
      tightened, and held tight by the use of a small stick of
      wood twisted around.

   Rack rail (Railroads), a toothed rack, laid as a rail, to
      afford a hold for teeth on the driving wheel of a
      locomotive for climbing steep gradients, as in ascending a
      mountain.

   Rack saw, a saw having wide teeth.

   Rack stick, the stick used in a rack lashing.

   To be on the rack, to suffer torture, physical or mental.
      

   To live at rack and manger, to live on the best at
      another's expense. [Colloq.]

   To put to the rack, to subject to torture; to torment.
      [1913 Webster]

            A fit of the stone puts a king to the rack, and
            makes him as miserable as it does the meanest
            subject.                              --Sir W.
                                                  Temple.
      [1913 Webster]

9. The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Rack \Rack\, v. i.
   To fly, as vapor or broken clouds.
   [1913 Webster]

10. The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Rack \Rack\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Racked (r[a^]kt); p. pr. &
   vb. n. Racking.] [See Rack that which stretches, or
   Rock, v.]
   To amble fast, causing a rocking or swaying motion of the
   body; to pace; -- said of a horse. --Fuller.
   [1913 Webster]

11. The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Rack \Rack\ (r[a^]k), v. t.
   1. To extend by the application of force; to stretch or
      strain; specifically, to stretch on the rack or wheel; to
      torture by an engine which strains the limbs and pulls the
      joints.
      [1913 Webster]

            He was racked and miserably tormented. --Foxe.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To torment; to torture; to affect with extreme pain or
      anguish.
      [1913 Webster]

            Vaunting aloud but racked with deep despair.
                                                  --Milton.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. To stretch or strain, in a figurative sense; hence, to
      harass, or oppress by extortion.
      [1913 Webster]

            The landlords there shamefully rack their tenants.
                                                  --Spenser.
      [1913 Webster]

            They [landlords] rack their rents an ace too high.
                                                  --Gascoigne.
      [1913 Webster]

            Grant that I may never rack a Scripture simile
            beyond the true intent thereof.       --Fuller.
      [1913 Webster]

            Try what my credit can in Venice do;
            That shall be racked even to the uttermost. --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. (Mining) To wash on a rack, as metals or ore.
      [1913 Webster]

   5. (Naut.) To bind together, as two ropes, with cross turns
      of yarn, marline, etc.
      [1913 Webster]

   To rack one's brains or To rack one's brains out or To
   rack one's wits, to exert one's thinking processes to the
      utmost for the purpose of accomplishing something; as, I
      racked my brains out trying to find a way to solve the
      problem.
      [1913 Webster +PJC]

   Syn: To torture; torment; rend; tear.
        [1913 Webster]

12. Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856)

RACK, punishments. An engine with which to torture a supposed criminal, in 
order to extort a confession of his supposed crime, and the names of his 
supposed accomplices. Unknown in the United States. 
     2. This instrument, known by the nickname of the Duke of Exeter's 
daughter, was in use in England. Barr. on the Stat. 866 12 S. & R. 227.

13. The Devil's Dictionary (1881-1906)

RACK, n.  An argumentative implement formerly much used in persuading
devotees of a false faith to embrace the living truth.  As a call to
the unconverted the rack never had any particular efficacy, and is now
held in light popular esteem.

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