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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Rak, v.¹ Also: rakk-, rack. [ME rak(k (15th c.), e.m.E. rack(e (16th c.), MDu. recken (Du. rekken), MLG recken, OHG recchan to stretch, draw out. Cf. OE reccan.]

1. tr. a. To stretch (one's) limbs. Cf. Rax v. 1. 1456 Hay II 120/31.
Quhen thou rysis in the mornyng, thou suld … strek and rak thy membris, suetely and softly and evinly

b. To tear (something) in to pieces. c1420 Wynt. iii 374 (W).
And with a rug thai rapis all He rakkit [R. crakyde] in to pecis small

c. To stretch, or lengthen, a withy when hanged from it on a gallows. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 245.
Filling of tauch, rak sauch [M. rak a sauche], cry crauch 1570 Sempill Sat. P. xii 56.
For this foule deid ȝour seid man rak ane sauch

d. To make (a person's) limbs or body longer by suspending him by hands and feet from a cross. Arundel MS 256/36.
Scharpe wes the speir, the nalis lang & gret, Thy ribbis rakkit 1622-6 Bisset II 9/29.
He wes … crucyfeid on ane croce … quhairon his legis and armes war rakked Ib. 283/18.
Sanct Peter wes raked and slane on ane croce

2. To torture by means of the rack. 1554 Knox III 214.
Sum wer rackit 1571 Misc. Bann. C. III 118 (see Rak n.³⁾. 1644 Hume Douglas in Crim. Trials I i 194.
Their servants were tried and racked, but confessed nothing

b. To strain; to put a strain upon; ? to afflict. — a1605 Montg. Flyt. 782 (T).
Sillie snark, … rak ane aik with the hinging

3. intr. To undergo stretching or strain. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 350.
I gert the renȝeis rak and rif in to sondir 1535 Stewart 4154.
Sum gat ane rais gart all hir ribbis rak

4. To rak up. To raise (charges) by an excessive amount. 1677 Edinb. B. Rec. X 316.
The said shoir dewes wes racked up considerablie above what they peyed formerlie