rack
rack — 名詞
1. a structure made of bars, rods, or shelves, designed for holding, storing, or di
架子
用來放置物品的框架或層架
a structure made of bars, rods, or shelves, designed for holding, storing, or displaying items such as bottles, tools, clothes, or kitchen utensils
Eshe pulled a bottle of red wine from the rack in the cellar.
Eshe 從地窖的架子上拿下一瓶紅酒。
wine rack — compound noun for bottle storage
Christopher hung his wet towel on the wooden rack by the back door.
Christopher 把他的濕毛巾掛在後門邊的木架上。
hanging rack for clothes or towels
The spice rack above the stove held jars of cumin, paprika, and turmeric.
爐子上方的香料架擺著小茴香、紅椒粉和薑黃的罐子。
Xiu loaded the dishwasher rack carefully so nothing would break.
Xiu 小心地把碗盤放進洗碗機的架子裡，免得任何東西破掉。
A magazine rack stood next to the sofa, stuffed with old issues.
沙發旁邊有一個雜誌架，塞滿了過期的刊物。
文法句型
a rack of [plural noun]
[noun] rack
用法筆記
Commonly used as the second part of a compound noun naming what the rack holds: wine rack, spice rack, luggage rack, roof rack.
常見錯誤
2. a triangular frame, usually made of wood or plastic, that holds billiard balls i
撞球三角架
撞球等遊戲中用來排列球的三角形框架
a triangular frame, usually made of wood or plastic, that holds billiard balls in a tight formation before the opening shot in pool, billiards, or snooker
Caio set the rack on the green felt and carefully placed the balls inside.
Caio 把三角架放在綠色絨布上，小心地把球放進裡面。
set the rack — collocation for positioning the frame
After Tara broke the triangle, the balls scattered across the table.
Tara 打破三角形排列後，球在球檯上四處散開。
The bar had a plastic rack mounted on the wall above the pool table.
那間酒吧的牆上掛著一個塑膠三角架，掛在撞球檯上方。
Élise lifted the rack carefully so the tight formation of balls would not shift.
Élise 小心地拿起三角架，以免緊密的球陣移位。
- triangle
informal term used by players for the rack
3. a historical instrument of torture consisting of a wooden frame with ropes attac
刑架
歷史上用來拉扯身體以逼供的刑具
a historical instrument of torture consisting of a wooden frame with ropes attached to the victim's wrists and ankles, used to pull the body in opposite directions, causing extreme pain or forcing a confession
The museum displayed a replica of a medieval rack used in the Tower of London.
博物館展示了一個中世紀刑架的複製品，曾在倫敦塔使用。
Prisoners were stretched on the rack until they gave up the names of their allies.
囚犯被放在刑架上拉開身體，直到他們供出同伴的名字。
on the rack — fixed prepositional phrase for this device
Ziad read about the rack in his history textbook and was horrified by the drawings.
Ziad 在歷史課本上讀到刑架的介紹，看到插圖時嚇壞了。
The guards tightened the ropes of the rack until the victim screamed in agony.
守衛拉緊刑架的繩子，直到受刑者痛苦地尖叫。
文法句型
on the rack
用法筆記
Commonly used in the fixed phrase 'on the rack' to describe the position of the victim. Figuratively, 'on the rack' also describes a state of severe mental strain.
4. a cut of meat taken from the neck, front ribs, or upper forequarters of a sheep,
肋排；頸肉
取自羊、豬等頸部或前肋部位的肉塊
a cut of meat taken from the neck, front ribs, or upper forequarters of a sheep, lamb, pig, or veal, typically sold as a roast or individual chops
Leo ordered a rack of lamb with rosemary and roasted potatoes for his birthday dinner.
Leo 在生日晚餐時點了一份迷迭香烤羊肋排和烤馬鈴薯。
rack of lamb — the most common form of this cut
Trang seasoned the pork rack with garlic and thyme before putting it in the oven.
Trang 把豬肋排用大蒜和百里香調味後放進烤箱。
The butcher recommended a rack of veal for the Sunday roast.
肉販建議用一份小牛肋排來做週日烤肉。
A whole rack of lamb has about eight ribs and serves two or three people.
一整份羊肋排大約有八根肋骨，夠兩到三個人吃。
- rib roast
a larger roasting cut, usually of beef, not lamb or pork
文法句型
rack of [animal]
用法筆記
Most commonly used with 'lamb' (rack of lamb). A 'rack' is different from a 'loin' — the rack comes from the rib area closer to the neck, while the loin is further back.
常見錯誤
5. a long metal bar with teeth cut into one side, designed to connect with a gear w
齒條
一邊有齒的金屬條，與齒輪嚙合以傳動
a long metal bar with teeth cut into one side, designed to connect with a gear wheel and change rotary motion into straight-line movement back and forth, or the reverse
The rack and pinion turned the steering wheel into smooth left or right turns.
齒條與小齒輪將方向盤的轉動變成平順的左轉或右轉。
rack and pinion — the standard pairing in steering systems
Eitan watched the machine's rack slide back and forth as the motor rotated the gear.
Eitan 看著機器的齒條隨著馬達轉動齒輪而前後滑動。
Most modern cars use a rack and pinion instead of a worm-and-sector steering mechanism.
大多數現代汽車使用齒條與小齒輪，而非蝸桿與扇形齒輪的转向機構。
The engineer inspected the rack for broken teeth that could cause the mechanism to jam.
工程師檢查齒條上是否有斷齒，以免機構卡住。
- gear rack
technical synonym emphasising its function as part of a gear system
- toothed bar
descriptive term used in non-technical contexts
用法筆記
Almost always appears in the compound 'rack and pinion' (or 'rack-and-pinion'). The pinion is the small gear wheel that engages with the rack's teeth.
6. a condition of complete destruction, serious decay, or total collapse, almost al
毀壞；破敗
建築或財物因疏於維護而嚴重損壞的狀態
a condition of complete destruction, serious decay, or total collapse, almost always used in the fixed expression 'rack and ruin'
The old farmhouse went to rack and ruin after the family sold it.
那棟老農舍在家人賣掉之後就荒廢破敗了。
go to rack and ruin — fixed idiom for total decay
Without proper maintenance, the bridge would fall into rack and ruin within a decade.
如果沒有適當維護，這座橋在十年內就會破敗不堪。
Gabriela's grandmother's garden went to rack and ruin after years of neglect.
Gabriela 祖母的花園因多年無人照料而荒廢破敗了。
The once-grand hotel went to rack and ruin, with broken windows and a collapsing roof.
那間曾經輝煌的飯店已經殘破不堪，窗戶破了，屋頂也塌了。
- ruin
single-word alternative for total destruction
- decay
emphasises gradual deterioration rather than sudden collapse
- dilapidation
formal term for buildings falling apart from neglect
文法句型
go to rack and ruin
用法筆記
This sense is used in only one fixed expression: 'rack and ruin', almost always in the phrase 'go to rack and ruin' (or 'fall into rack and ruin'). Do not use 'rack' alone with this meaning.
常見錯誤
rack — 動詞
1. to cause someone to suffer intense physical or emotional pain; to trouble or dis
折磨；使痛苦
使某人遭受劇烈的身體或精神痛苦
to cause someone to suffer intense physical or emotional pain; to trouble or distress deeply — for example, being racked by a severe headache, or racked with guilt over a lie
Kemi was racked by terrible back pain after lifting the heavy boxes the wrong way.
Kemi 因用錯誤的方式搬運重箱子而背部劇痛難忍。
be racked by [physical pain] — passive construction
Eshe racked her brain trying to remember where she had left her house keys.
Eshe 絞盡腦汁，想要想起她把鑰匙放在哪裡了。
rack one's brain(s) — common idiom for intense mental effort
The young man was racked with guilt after shouting at his mother.
那個年輕人對母親大吼之後，內心充滿了愧疚。
Violent coughing racked the patient's body throughout the night.
劇烈的咳嗽整晚折磨著病人的身體。
Christopher was racked by doubt as the deadline for his decision approached.
隨著決定的期限將至，Christopher 被懷疑折磨得坐立不安。
- relieve
to remove pain or distress
文法句型
be racked by [pain/guilt/doubt]
be racked with [pain/guilt/remorse]
rack one's brain(s)
用法筆記
Most commonly used in the passive voice ('racked by', 'racked with'). The active form is rarer and usually takes an impersonal subject, as in 'coughing racked his body'. The idiom 'rack one's brain(s)' is always active and means to think very hard.
常見錯誤
2. to pull, stretch, or tense something violently, reaching its physical limit of m
拉至極限
將某物拉緊或伸展到極限
to pull, stretch, or tense something violently, reaching its physical limit of movement or capacity
The old rope was racked by the weight of the swinging cargo until it snapped.
那條舊繩子被擺盪的貨物拉到極限，最後斷掉了。
be racked by [weight/force] — passive describing physical stress
Gabriela racked every muscle in her arms to pull the boat onto the shore.
Gabriela 用盡手臂的每一塊肌肉，把小船拉上岸。
The storm racked the ship's masts, bending them nearly to breaking point.
暴風雨猛烈拉扯船的桅杆，幾乎把它們折斷。
Xiu's entire body was racked by violent shivers from a high fever.
Xiu 的整個身體因高燒的劇烈顫抖而繃緊。
- relax
to release tension from something
文法句型
be racked by [force/pressure]
rack [body part]
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 focuses on pain experienced (emotional or physical), while sense 2 focuses on the physical act of stretching or straining something to its limit — the emphasis is on the mechanical force, not the resulting suffering.
3. to pressure or exploit someone unfairly by demanding excessive amounts of money,
壓榨；敲詐
以不合理的收費或不公平手段剝削某人
to pressure or exploit someone unfairly by demanding excessive amounts of money, especially through unreasonably high rents, fees, or other charges
The landlord racked the tenants by raising the rent by fifty percent with no warning.
房東毫無預警地把租金調漲了百分之五十，壓榨房客。
rack + indirect object — active verb of exploitation
The company was accused of racking small farmers with hidden service charges.
這家公司被指控用隱藏的手續費剝削小農戶。
The government passed a law to stop landlords from racking their tenants unfairly.
政府通過了一項法律，禁止房東不公平地壓榨房客。
Ziad discovered that the agency had been racking him for fees that were never explained.
Ziad 發現那家仲介一直在收取從未說明過的費用來剝削他。
文法句型
rack up [debt/charges]
rack [someone] for [money]
用法筆記
Historically tied to the practice of charging excessive rents ('rent racking'). This sense is now rare in everyday speech but still appears in legal and political discussions about housing and tenant rights.