noun

• (historical) A device, incorporating a ratchet, used to torture victims by stretching them beyond their natural limits.
  "Ay, but I fear you speak upon the rack, / Where men enforced do speak anything."
• (nautical) A piece or frame of wood, having several sheaves, through which the running rigging passes.
• (nautical, slang) A bunk.
  "Chief Stevens approached my rack and repeatedly ordered me to vacate my rack and report to the working party."
• (nautical, by extension, slang, uncountable) Sleep.
  "Do I have to do this now? Like, I really need to get some rack."

verb

• (figurative) 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."
• (obsolete, occult) 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..."
• (billiards, snooker, pool) To put the balls into the triangular rack and set them in place on the table.
• (slang, transitive) To strike in the testicles.
  "Bike7125 raises a great point suggesting that cups could have been recommended "optional" equipment in school PE. I never got racked by a baseball or softball, but we did have a gym teacher, who insisted on a weekly session of a "cruelty sport" called bombardment. The idea was to throw basketballs at a line of guys, and try to hit them. (Guess where most gym bullys aimed!)"

verb

• (brewing) To clarify, and thereby deter further fermentation of, beer, wine or cider by draining or siphoning it from the dregs.
  "It is in common practice to draw wine or beer from the lees (which we call racking), whereby it will clarify much the sooner."

verb

• (of a horse) To amble fast, causing a rocking or swaying motion of the body; to pace.
  "The other two (only racking, no thorough-paced protestants) watched their opportunity to run away"