Middle English Dictionary Entry
rak n.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | rak n.(2) Also rak(k)e, rack(e, rek(ke, reck(e; pl. rakkes, etc. & reccis. |
| Etymology | ?OE; cp. OE reccan & MnE rack a framework and, for sense 2., MDu. rec; also cp. AL racka, rekka. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A rack, esp. for kitchen use; framework; a bar for hanging pots, etc.; a roasting spit or a support for a spit; fir ~; (b) a framework or rack for holding fodder for livestock, manger; -- also used as nonsense word [quot.: MSerm.Mol.]; ~ hous, ?a fodder station (for game); ~ staf, a piece of wood used in constructing a manger; maken ~ and maunger, to feed at a fodder rack; haven at ~ and maunger, keep (a woman), supply with the necessities of life.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Chris.(Hrl 2277)192 : Þe king was þo for wraþþe wod, þat o womman he let honge Heuye rekkes [Ld: heuie stones] bynde to hire fet, þat hire deþ þrowes were stronge.
- (1388) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)5.69 : [A] rak [for] kannes [and 3] kannes.
- (1391) Acc.Exped.Der.in Camd.n.s.5218/31 : Pro ij paribus rakkes pro caudrons pendendis.
- (1400) Will York in Sur.Soc.4514 : Pro..ij paribus de rakkez.
- (1412) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)7.243 : [4] spetys, [a] fyrerakke, [a] gredyern.
- (1415) Reg.Chichele in Cant.Yk.S.42 (Lamb 69)47 : Item, a paire of rackes for þe kychyn.
- (1424) EEWills57/27 : Þan wul I þat..Cecile haue..brasse spytes, rakkes, and brandernes of erne.
- (1434) EEWills102/5 : Y bequethe to Robert Sharp..a rake of yren forto rost on his eyren.
- (1442) Invent.Gild in PSAL ser.2.5124 : Item, xij Spittes ferr'; Item, iij peyr de Rackys ferr'.
- (1450) Lin.DDoc.41 : All my spittes & Rakkes..I wol that thei be leffte in the parsonage to my tenauntz ease perpetuell.
- (1467) Acc.Howard in RC 57399 : Item, in makenge of rakkes of tre to roste one, xij d.
- a1500 Bevis (Cmb Ff.2.38)2159 : Rakk [Auch: þat hors..His rakenteis he al te-rof And wente in to þe kourt wel kof].
- a1500 Bevis (Chet 8009)1471 : In that ilke vii yere To a Rak his stede he tied; Was no mete ne drinke to hym laid.
- -?-(1431) Will in Som.RS 16136 : [Two great] Rekkes [and two great spits].
b
- (1343-4) in Hope Windsor C.1.121 : In meremio empto de Waltero de Stoke pro baculis ad Rakkes in magno stabulo Regis, vj d.
- (1355) Reg.Edw.Blk.Pr.2.76 : [Two new] rakehous [for the said game].
- (1382) Rec.Norwich 247 : [For nails and] rackestavis.
- (1393) Acc.Exped.Der.in Camd.n.s.52205/29 : Pro diuersis rakks et mangers faciendis in stabulis domini.
- a1425 Methodius(1) (Hrl 1900)105/16 : Her horsis þei schule tyȝe to þe sepulcris of seyntis, as to rackis [Meth.(2): a mawnger].
- (1432) Will York in Sur.Soc.3023 : Unum par furcarum pro dependencia ollarum in lez rakkes et cruks.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)422 : Rakke [Win: Rakk]: Presepe.
- c1450(?a1422) Lydg.LOL (Dur-U Cosin V.2.16)5.653 : O what thyng may this be, To se that lorde in a Rakke lye That hath the hevyn vndir his powste.
- (c1465) Paston2.312 : I haue gote yow..and hows to ley jnne hey and straw, and cost yow not but making of a rak and a ma[n]geour.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)942/4 : He saw a rake [F rastelier] of bullis, an hundrith and fyffty.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)946/5,13 : The fayre medow and the rak therein ought to be undirstonde the Rounde Table, and by the medow..humilite and paciens..At the rack ete an hondred and fyffty bullys.
- a1475 Bk.Courtesy (Sln 1986)610 : Euery horse schalle so muche haue, At racke and manger þat standes with staue.
- c1483(?a1450) OT in Caxton Gold.Leg.(Caxton)f.72vb : Salomon had xl M rackes [L (Vulg.1 Kings 4.26): praesepia] for the horses of his cartes, chares and curres, and xij M for horse to ryde on.
- a1500(?c1378) Wycl.OPastor.(Ryl Eng 86)435 : It is yuel to kepe a wast hors in stable..but it is worse to have a womman wiþ-ynne or wiþ-oute at racke & at manger.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)413 : She..saugh..boles that alle were teyed be the nekkes be-fore a grove, and ete at a rakke [F rastelier] small grasse and herbes that was newe mowen.
- a1500 MSerm.Mol.(Adv 19.3.1)82 : He broȝt an acor in his recke from the Tour of Londone unto the Tour of Babilon.
- a1500 Partenay (Trin-C R.3.17)913 : Ther coursers loged passing inly wel, Both rekke and manger at their ease gan make.
2.
(a) A frame on which cloth or skin was stretched to dry; ~ hokes, ?hooks on a stretching frame; (b) an instrument of torture, rack; (c) ?a pillory; -- mistransl. of OF eschielles n.pl.; (d) a pain, stitch.
Associated quotations
a
- (1408) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)7.217 : [The said John..stole and carried away 10 yards of blue cloth..on Ralph's] rackes.
- a1425(a1349) Rolle MPass.(2) (Upps C.494)50/24 : Þi bodi is streyned as a perchemyn skynne vpon a racke [vr. þe harowe].
- (1457) *Chamberl.R.Winch. : In solutis pro Rekhokys pro tentorio..viii d.
- (1461-83) GRed Bk.Bristolpt.2.p.66 : Grete complaynts ben made..of the vnrightvousse and extorcionsze takyng..For the Ivenyng of cloth In the Reck.
- (1461-83) GRed Bk.Bristolpt.2.p.66 : All maner of cloths that schold passe In Shermen is playt haue be evenyd In breed In the Reck withoute eany wrong doyng to eany persone.
- (1461-83) GRed Bk.Bristol67 : Hit is ordeyned that..no succh fyne for Ivenyng of eany cloth In the Rekk be takyn or leveyed of eany Burgeys.
b
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)129/21 : He commaundid that he schuld be put on a rakke and there to be extended and drawen out þe body.
c
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)7.1081 : With cordes drawen he was..Vnto a place callid in ther langage Ther most cheeff rakkes or galwes [F eschielles gemonies] of þe toun, Wher is of custum doon execucioun.
d
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)13a : Þe decoccioun..helpiþ for þe jandis and þe reccys in mannys sids, þat is callid ypocandria.