rack compass (rakkum"pas)

A joiners' compa with a rack adjustment. E. H. Knight. racker1 (rak'er), n. [= D. rakker = MLG. rack er, racher, LG. rakker = G. racker = Sw. rack are = Dan. rakker ; as rack1 , v ., + -er1.] 1. One who puts to the rack; a torturer or tor racket mentor.-2. One who wrests, twists, or dis torts. Such rackers of orthography. Shak ., L. L. L., v. 1. 21. 3. One who hara es by exactions: as, a racker of tenants. Swift . racker2 (rak'ėr), n. [ The filling of casks is effected by Smith's rackers . IMG:content-1547.png:[blocks in formation] Chav. Adzflesh, forsooth, yonder haz been a most heavy racket ; by the zide of the wood there is a curious hansom gentlewoman lies as dead as a herring, and bleeds like any stuck pig. Unnatural Mother (1698). ( Nares .) 3. A clamorous outburst, as of indignation or other emotion; a noisy manifestation of feeling: as, to make a racket about a trifle; to raise a racket about one's ears. [Colloq.]-4. Something going on, whether noisily and openly or quietly; a special proceeding, scheme, project, or the like: a slang use of very wide application: as, what's the racket? (what is going on?); to go on a racket (to engage in a lark or go on a spree); to be on to a person's racket (to detect his secret aim or purpose); to work the racket (to carry on a particular scheme or undertaking, especially one of a "shady” cha character); to stand the racket (to take the consequences, or abide the result). He is ready as myself to stand the racket of subsequent proceedings. Daily Telegraph (London), Sept. 8, 1882. ( Encyc . Dict .) He had been off on the racket , perhaps for a week at a time. Daily Telegraph (London), Nov. 16, 1885. ( Encyc . Dict .) "Lucky I learned that signal racket ," said Jack, as, still at a furious pace, he made cuts in different directions with his extemporized flag. The Century , XXXIX. 527. To give the name of legislation to the proceedings at Albany over the Fair Bill yesterday would be an abuse of language. The proper name for them was "tumbling to the racket ." The A embly pa ed the bill without debate and almost unanimously, much as they might pa a bill authorizing a man to change his name. New York Evening Post , Jan. 29, 1890. 5. A smart stroke; a rap. [Prov. Eng. and Scotch.] racket1 (rak'et), v. [ The wind blazed and racketed through the narrow space between the house and the hill. S. Judd , Margaret, i. 17. 2. To engage or take part in a racket of any kind; frequent noisy or tumultuous scenes; carry on eager or energetic action of some special kind. [Colloq.] Old Gineral Pierpont, his gret-gret-grandfather, was a gineral in the British army in Injy, an' he racketed round 'mong them nabobs out there, an' got no end o' gold an' precious stones. H. B. Stove , Oldtown, p. 571. 3. To be di ipated; indulge to exce in social pleasures. [Colloq.] I have been racketing lately, having dined twice with Rogers and once with Grant. Macaulay , in Trevelyan, I. 302. II. trans . To utter noisily or tumultuously; clamor out. [Rare.] Then think, then speak, then drink their sound again, And racket round about this body's court These two sweet words, 'Tis safe. B. Jonson, Case is Altered, iv. 4. racket2 (rak'et), n. [Also racquet, raquet; IMG:content-1548.png:[blocks in formation] IMG:content-1549.png:[blocks in formation] In the rackety bowling-alley. C. F. Woolson, Anne, p. 193. rack-fisht(rak'fish), n . [Origin unknown; prob. either for * wrack fish or for rockfish , q. v.] A fish, of what kind is not determined. S. Clarke , Four Plantations in America (1670), p. 5.