rake Meaning & Definition
What Does Rake Mean?
Rake is used as a noun meaning A garden tool with a row of pointed teeth fixed to a long handle, used for collecting debris, grass, etc., for flattening the ground, or for loosening soil; also, a similar wheel-mounted tool drawn by a horse or a tractor. It can also mean A similarly shaped tool used for other purposes. A tool with a straight edge at the end used by a croupier to move chips or money across a gaming table. A type of lockpick that has a ridged or notched blade that moves across the pins in a pin tumbler lock, causing them to settle into a shear line. As a verb, it means To act upon with a rake, or as if with a rake. As a verb, it means Alternative spelling of raik (“ to walk; to roam, to wander; of animals (especially sheep): to graze; to roam or wander through (somewhere)”).
Rake: Key Facts
| Part of speech | noun, verb |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ɹeɪk/ |
| Synonyms | profligate, pitch and graze |
| Plural | rakes |
| Verb forms | rakes, raking, raked |
Rake Definition (Noun)
- A garden tool with a row of pointed teeth fixed to a long handle, used for collecting debris, grass, etc., for flattening the ground, or for loosening soil; also, a similar wheel-mounted tool drawn by a horse or a tractor.
- A similarly shaped tool used for other purposes. A tool with a straight edge at the end used by a croupier to move chips or money across a gaming table. A type of lockpick that has a ridged or notched blade that moves across the pins in a pin tumbler lock, causing them to settle into a shear line.
- A tool with a straight edge at the end used by a croupier to move chips or money across a gaming table.
- A type of lockpick that has a ridged or notched blade that moves across the pins in a pin tumbler lock, causing them to settle into a shear line.
- A type of puffer train that leaves behind a stream of spaceships as it moves.
- A group of mules.
Rake as a Verb
- To act upon with a rake, or as if with a rake.
She is raking the gravel path to keep it even.
- Often followed by in: to gather (things which are apart) together, especially quickly.
The casino is just raking in the cash; it’s like a licence to print money.
- Often followed by an adverb or preposition such as away, off, out, etc.: to drag or pull in a certain direction.
- To claw at; to scrape, to scratch; followed by away: to erase, to obliterate.
The cat’s sharp claws raked the side of my face.
- Followed by up: to bring up or uncover (something), as embarrassing information, past misdeeds, etc.
- To search through (thoroughly).
- To move (a beam of light, a glance with the eyes, etc.) across (something) with a long side-to-side motion; specifically to use a weapon to fire at (something) with a side-to-side motion; to spray with gunfire.
The enemy machine guns raked the roadway.
- To fire upon an enemy vessel from a position in line with its bow or stern, causing one's fire to travel through the length of the enemy vessel for maximum damage.
- To cover (something) by or as if by raking things over it.
- To pick (a lock) with a rake.
Noun
- The act of raking.
- Something that is raked.
A share of profits, takings, etc., especially if obtained illegally; specifically the scaled commission fee taken by a cardroom operating a poker game.
A lot, plenty.
Jim has had a rake of trouble with his new car.
- A share of profits, takings, etc., especially if obtained illegally; specifically the scaled commission fee taken by a cardroom operating a poker game.
- A lot, plenty.
Jim has had a rake of trouble with his new car.
Noun
- A course, a path, especially a narrow and steep path or route up a hillside.
- A fissure or mineral vein of ore traversing the strata vertically, or nearly so.
- A series, a succession; specifically a set of coupled rail vehicles, normally coaches or wagons.
The train was formed of a locomotive and a rake of six coaches.
- Alternative spelling of raik (“a course, a way; pastureland over which animals graze; a journey to transport something between two places; a run; also, the quantity of items so transported”).
Verb
- Alternative spelling of raik (“ to walk; to roam, to wander; of animals (especially sheep): to graze; to roam or wander through (somewhere)”)
Verb
- To move swiftly; to proceed rapidly.
- Of a bird of prey: to fly after a quarry; also, to fly away from the falconer, to go wide of the quarry being pursued.
Noun
- Rate of progress; pace, speed.
Verb
- To incline (something) from a perpendicular direction.
A mast rakes aft.
- Senses relating to watercraft. To provide (the bow or stern of a watercraft) with a rake (“a slant that causes it to extend beyond the keel”). Of a watercraft: to have a rake at its bow or stern.
- To provide (the bow or stern of a watercraft) with a rake (“a slant that causes it to extend beyond the keel”).
- Of a watercraft: to have a rake at its bow or stern.
Noun
- A divergence from the horizontal or perpendicular; a slant, a slope.
- In full, angle of rake or rake angle: the angle between the edge or face of a tool (especially a cutting tool) and a plane (usually one perpendicular to the object that the tool is being applied to).
- The direction of slip during the movement of a fault, measured within the fault plane.
- Senses relating to watercraft. A slant that causes the bow or stern of a watercraft to extend beyond the keel; also, the upper part of the bow or stern that extends beyond the keel. A slant of some other part of a watercraft (such as a funnel or mast) away from the perpendicular, usually towards the stern.
- A slant that causes the bow or stern of a watercraft to extend beyond the keel; also, the upper part of the bow or stern that extends beyond the keel.
- A slant of some other part of a watercraft (such as a funnel or mast) away from the perpendicular, usually towards the stern.
- The sloped edge of a roof at or adjacent to the first or last rafter.
Noun
- A person (usually a man) who is stylish but habituated to hedonistic and immoral conduct.
Verb
- To behave as a rake; to lead a hedonistic and immoral life.
Noun
- (by extension) A similarly shaped tool used for other purposes.
Noun
- Something that is raked.
Noun
- A walk, or a journey taken (especially on foot); the act of taking a walk or journey.
- The movement of animals while grazing.
- The pastureland over which animals graze; a range, a stray.
- A journey to transport something between two places; a run; also, the quantity of items so transported.
Verb
- To walk; to roam, to wander.
- Of animals (especially sheep): to graze.
- To roam or wander through (somewhere).
Noun
- (originally Northern England) A series, a succession; specifically a set of coupled rail vehicles, normally coaches or wagons.
The train was formed of a locomotive and a rake of six coaches.
- (systems theory) In cellular automata: a puffer that emits a stream of spaceships rather than a trail of debris.
Noun
- (specifically) In full, angle of rake or rake angle: the angle between the edge or face of a tool (especially a cutting tool) and a plane (usually one perpendicular to the object that the tool is being applied to).
- Senses relating to watercraft.
- (roofing) The sloped edge of a roof at or adjacent to the first or last rafter.
Verb
- Senses relating to watercraft.
Synonyms of Rake
Rake synonyms and antonyms →Antonyms of Rake
No antonyms or near antonyms are listed by the available sources for this entry.
Rake in a Sentence
She is raking the gravel path to keep it even.
We raked all the leaves into a pile.
The casino is just raking in the cash; it’s like a licence to print money.
The cat’s sharp claws raked the side of my face.
The enemy machine guns raked the roadway.
Jim has had a rake of trouble with his new car.
The train was formed of a locomotive and a rake of six coaches.
A mast rakes aft.
Word Forms & Grammar
rake (plural rakes)
rake (third-person singular simple present rakes, present participle raking, simple past and past participle raked)
Words That Rhyme With Rake
Origin of Rake
Origin 1: From Middle English rake [and other forms], from Old English raca, racu, ræce (“tool with a row of pointed teeth, rake”),[1] from Proto-Germanic *rakō, *rekô (“tool with a row of pointed teeth, rake”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- (“to straighten, right oneself”).
Origin 2: The verb is partly derived[3][4] from rake (“tool with a row of pointed teeth”) (see etymology 1) and from Middle English raken (“to rake; to gather by raking; to rake away (debris); to cover with something; (figurative) to conceal, hide; to destroy”) [and other forms],[5] from Old Norse raka (“to scrape”), from Proto-Germanic *raką, probably ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- (“to straighten, right oneself”).
Origin 3: The noun is derived from the verb.[6]
Origin 4: From Middle English rake, rakke (“pass, path, track; type of fencing thrust; pasture land (?)”),[7] and then partly:[8]
Questions People Ask About Rake
Is rake a noun or a verb?
Rake is mainly used as a noun, but it can also be used as a verb.
What is another word for rake?
You can replace rake with words such as profligate, pitch and graze. See the full list of rake synonyms and antonyms.
What is the plural of rake?
The plural of rake is rakes.
What is the past tense of rake?
The past tense of rake is raked. The present participle is raking.