/rek"euhr/ , n.
1. a person or thing that wrecks.
2. a person, car, or train employed in removing wreckage, debris, etc., as from railroad tracks.
3. Also called tow car, tow truck . a vehicle equipped with a mechanical apparatus for hoisting and pulling, used to tow wrecked, disabled, or stalled automobiles.
4. Also called housewrecker . a person whose business it is to demolish and remove houses or other buildings, as in clearing sites for other use.
5. a person or vessel employed in recovering salvage from wrecked or disabled vessels.
6. a person who plunders wrecks, esp. after exhibiting false signals in order to cause shipwrecks.
[ 1795-1805; WRECK + -ER 1 ]