rake

1 of 5

noun (1)

ˈrāk

: an implement equipped with projecting prongs to gather material (such as leaves) or for loosening or smoothing the surface of the ground

: a machine for gathering hay

: an implement like a rake

rake

2 of 5

verb (1)

raked; raking

transitive verb

: to gather, loosen, or smooth with or as if with a rake

rake leaves into a pile

: to gain rapidly or in abundance

—usually used with in

rake in a fortune

: to touch in passing over lightly

: scratch, scrape

: to censure severely

: to search through : ransack

: to sweep the length of especially with gunfire : enfilade

: to glance over rapidly

raker noun

rake

3 of 5

noun (2)

: inclination from the perpendicular

especially : the overhang of a ship's bow or stern

: inclination from the horizontal : slope

: the angle between the top cutting surface of a tool and a plane perpendicular to the surface of the work

rake

4 of 5

verb (2)

raked; raking

intransitive verb

: to incline from the perpendicular

rake

5 of 5

Examples of rake in a Sentence

Verb (1) he raked repeatedly through his luggage, hoping that in one of the bags he would find his lost passport before his flight's departure Noun (2) the floor of the auditorium doesn't have much of a rake, so sightlines for spectators in the rear are not good Noun (3) was often spotted in sordid places that reinforced a reputation as one of the city's most notorious rakes

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

On his first day at the harvest, Johnson, the fisherman from Nova Scotia, was handed a rake. —

Kate Olson, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 June 2024 The set includes a rake, hoe cultivator, transplanter, hand fork, trowel, and hand hoe, as well as a multi-purpose basket with airflow holes and a foam kneeler. —

Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 June 2024 After rituals, the relaxation room encourages guests to sip tea and move the rake around the miniature Zen sand gardens. —

Lindsay Cohn, Travel + Leisure, 6 June 2024 When found on residential properties, tents can be swept apart by rakes or brooms, exposing caterpillars to predators, or knocking them off the trees. —

Pamm Cooper, Hartford Courant, 8 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for rake

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rake.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English racu; akin to Old High German rehho rake

Noun (2)

origin unknown

Noun (3)

short for rakehell

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

circa 1621, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

1691, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1687, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of rake was before the 12th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Rake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rake. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.

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Kids Definition

rake

1 of 3 noun

ˈrāk

: a garden tool with a long handle and prongs at the end

: a machine for gathering hay

rake

2 of 3 verb

raked; raking

: to gather, loosen, or smooth with or as if with a rake

rake leaves

raking in money

: to touch in passing over lightly

: scratch entry 1 sense 1, scrape

: to search through : ransack

rake the records for evidence

: to sweep the length of with or as if with gunfire

raker noun

rake

3 of 3 noun

: libertine

Etymology

Noun

Old English racu "a tool for gathering up grass or straw"

Noun

a shortened form of earlier rakehell (same meaning)

Last Updated: 2 Jul 2024 - Updated example sentences

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rake

noun (1)

verb (1)

noun (2)

verb (2)

noun (3)

Synonyms

Examples of rake in a Sentence

Word History

Dictionary Entries Near rake

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition