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1. (Med.) Literally, inflammation of the spine, but commonly applied to the rickets. See Rickets.
2. (Bot.) A disease which produces abortion in the fruit or seeds. Henslow.
Rachitome
(Ra"chi*tome) n. [F., fr. Gr. "ra`chis, - ios, the spine + te`mnein to cut.] A dissecting instrument
for opening the spinal canal. [Written also rachiotome.]
Racial
(Ra"cial) a. Of or pertaining to a race or family of men; as, the racial complexion.
Racily
(Ra"ci*ly) adv. In a racy manner.
Raciness
(Ra"ci*ness) n. The quality of being racy; peculiar and piquant flavor.
The general characteristics of his [Cobbett's] style were perspicuity, unequaled and inimitable; . . . a
purity always simple, and raciness often elegant. London Times. Racing
(Ra"cing) a. & n. from Race, v. t. & i.
Racing crab (Zoöl.), an ocypodian.
Rack
(Rack) n. Same as Arrack.
Rack
(Rack), n. [AS. hracca neck, hinder part of the head; cf. AS. hraca throat, G. rachen throat, E.
retch.] The neck and spine of a fore quarter of veal or mutton.
Rack
(Rack), n. [See Wreck.] A wreck; destruction. [Obs., except in a few phrases.]
Rack and ruin, destruction; utter ruin. [Colloq.] — To go to rack, to perish; to be destroyed. [Colloq.]
"All goes to rack." Pepys.
Rack
(Rack), n. [Prob. fr. Icel. rek drift, motion, and akin to reka to drive, and E. wrack, wreck. &radic282.]
Thin, flying, broken clouds, or any portion of floating vapor in the sky. Shak.
The winds in the upper region, which move the clouds above, which we call the rack, . . . pass without
noise. Bacon.
And the night rack came rolling up. C. Kingsley. Rack
(Rack), v. i. To fly, as vapor or broken clouds.
Rack
(Rack), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Racked (rakt); p. pr. & vb. n. Racking.] [See Rack that which stretches,
or Rock, v.] To amble fast, causing a rocking or swaying motion of the body; to pace; — said of a horse.
Fuller.
Rack
(Rack), n. A fast amble.
Rack
(Rack), v. t. [Cf. OF. vin raqué wine squeezed from the dregs of the grapes.] To draw off from
the lees or sediment, as wine.
It is in common practice to draw wine or beer from the lees whereby it will clarify much the sooner. Bacon. Rack vintage, wine cleansed and drawn from the lees. Cowell.
Rack
(Rack), n. [Probably fr. D. rek, rekbank, a rack, rekken to stretch; akin to G. reck, reckbank, a
rack, recken to stretch, Dan. række, Sw. räcka, Icel. rekja to spread out, Goth. refrakjan to stretch
out; cf. L. porrigere, Gr. 'ore`gein. &radic115. Cf. Right, a., Ratch.]
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