• 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。

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 Proven?al 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 wr?c "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).

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

我的背包太大了，行李架上放不下。

来自柯林斯例句

2. Turn the cake the right way up on to a wire rack.

把蛋糕翻到合适的方向对准金属丝架上。

来自柯林斯例句

3. The old house soon went to rack and ruin.

这所旧房子很快就毁坏了.

来自《简明英汉词典》

4. I am on the rack during the entire examination.

在整个考试过程中,我的心情十分紧张.

来自《简明英汉词典》

5. My brain is continually on the rack about the means of living.

我总是为生计而伤神.

来自《现代汉英综合大词典》