RAKE

v. & n. --v. 1 tr. & intr. set or be set at a sloping angle. 2 intr. a (of a mast or funnel) incline from the perpendicular towards the stern. b (of a ship or its bow or stern) project at the upper part of the bow or stern beyond the keel. --n. 1 a raking position or build. 2 the amount by which a thing rakes. 3 the slope of the stage or the auditorium in a theatre. 4 the slope of a seat-back etc. 5 the angle of the edge or face of a cutting tool. [17th c.: prob. rel. to G ragen project, of unkn. orig.]