rake 1
— rakable, rakeable , adj. — raker , n.
/rayk/ , n. , v. , raked, raking .
n.
1. an agricultural implement with teeth or tines for gathering cut grass, hay, or the like or for smoothing the surface of the ground.
2. any of various implements having a similar form, as a croupier's implement for gathering in money on a gaming table.
v.t.
3. to gather, draw, or remove with a rake: to rake dead leaves from a lawn.
4. to clear, smooth, or prepare with a rake: to rake a garden bed.
5. to clear (a fire, embers, etc.) by stirring with a poker or the like.
6. to gather or collect abundantly (usually fol. by in ): He marketed his invention and has been raking in money ever since.
7. to bring to light, usually for discreditable reasons (usually fol. by up ): to rake up an old scandal.
8. to search thoroughly through: They raked the apartment for the missing jewels.
9. to scrape; scratch: The sword's tip raked his face lightly.
10. to scoop out (a masonry joint) to a given depth while the mortar is still green.
11. to fire guns along the length of (a position, body of troops, ship, etc.).
12. to sweep with the eyes: He raked the horizon with his gaze.
v.i.
13. to use a rake: The gardener raked along the border of the garden.
14. to search, as with a rake: His gaze raked over the room.
15. to scrape; search: She frantically raked through her belongings.
16. rake over the coals . See coal (def. 5).
[ bef. 900; (n.) ME rak ( e ), OE raca (masc.), racu (fem.); c. G Rechen, ON reka shovel; (v.) ME raken, partly deriv. of the n., partly raka to scrape, rake ]
Syn. 8. comb, scour, ransack.
rake 2
/rayk/ , n.
a dissolute or profligate person, esp. a man who is licentious; roué.
[ 1645-55; see RAKEHELL ]
Syn . libertine, profligate, lecher, womanizer.
rake 3
/rayk/ , v. , raked, raking , n.
v.i.
1. to incline from the vertical, as a mast, or from the horizontal.
v.t.
2. to cause (something) to incline from the vertical or the horizontal.
n.
3. inclination or slope away from the perpendicular or the horizontal.
4. a board or molding placed along the sloping sides of a frame gable to cover the ends of the siding.
5. Aeron. the angle measured between the tip edge of an aircraft or missile wing or other lifting surface and the plane of symmetry.
6. Mach. the angle between the cutting face of a tool and a plane perpendicular to the surface of the work at the cutting point.
[ 1620-30; orig. uncert. ]
rake 4
/rayk/ , v.i. , raked, raking .
1. Hunting.
a. (of a hawk) to fly after game.
b. (of a dog) to hunt with the nose close to the ground instead of in the wind.
2. Chiefly Scot. to go or proceed, esp. with speed.
[ bef. 1000; ME raken to go, hasten, OE racian ]