rackteering - {n. phr.} Complete decay; condition of decline. * /The entire house had been so neglected that it had gone to rack and ruin./

rackteering - {v. phr.} To try your best to think; make a great mental effort; especially: to try to remember something you have known. * /Bob racked his brain trying to remember where he left the book./ * /Susan racked her brain trying to guess whom the valentine came from./ * /John racked his brain during the test trying to solve the problem./

rackteering - n. & v.
--n.

1 a a framework usu. with rails, bars, hooks, etc., for holding or storing things. b a frame for holding animal fodder.
2 a cogged or toothed bar or rail engaging with a wheel or pinion etc., or using pegs to adjust the position of something.
3 hist. an instrument of torture stretching the victim's joints by the turning of rollers to which the wrists and ankles were tied.

--v.

tr.
1 (of disease or pain) inflict suffering on.
2 hist. torture (a person) on the rack.
3 place in or on a rack.
4 shake violently.
5 injure by straining.
6 oppress (tenants) by exacting excessive rent.
7 exhaust (the land) by excessive use.

on the rack in distress or under strain. rack one's brains make a great mental effort (racked my brains for something to say). rack-railway a railway with a cogged rail between the bearing rails. rack-rent n.
1 a high rent, annually equalling the full value of the property to which it relates.
2 an extortionate rent.

--v.

tr. exact this from (a tenant) or for (land). rack-renter a tenant paying or a landlord exacting an extortionate rent. rack-up US achieve (a score etc.). rack-wheel a cog-wheel. [ME rakke f. MDu., MLG rak, rek, prob. f. recken stretch]

rackteering - n.
destruction ( esp. rack and ruin). [var. of WRACK, WRECK]

rackteering - n.
a joint of lamb etc. including the front ribs. [perh. f. RACK(1)]

rackteering - v.tr.
(often foll. by off) draw off (wine, beer, etc.) from the lees. [ME f. Prov. arracar f. raca stems and husks of grapes, dregs]