on the rack

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on the rack

anxious, often because you are waiting for something or because people are asking you difficult questions You're left on the rack for three days waiting for the results from the hospital. Here was a respected politician being put on the rack (= asked a lot of difficult questions) by aggressive junior politicians.

See also: rack

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? References in classic literature
He belonged to that race of martyrs who, indissolubly wedded to their political convictions as their ancestors were to their faith, are able to smile on pain: while being stretched on the rack, he recited with a firm voice, and scanning the lines according to measure, the first strophe of the "Justum ac tenacem" of Horace, and, making no confession, tired not only the strength, but even the fanaticism, of his executioners. The Black Tulip by Dumas, Alexandre View in context "Love never made a law so cruel, a law that would rob true lovers of each other's society for a whole month in a year, stretching them on the rack of absence--" There my period broke down, so I began another less ambitiously planned. The Quest of the Golden Girl by le Gallienne, Richard View in context "If only some one would twist him on the rack," the Duchess murmured vindictively. The Yellow Crayon by Oppenheim, E. Phillips View in context More results

? References in classic literature

He belonged to that race of martyrs who, indissolubly wedded to their political convictions as their ancestors were to their faith, are able to smile on pain: while being stretched on the rack, he recited with a firm voice, and scanning the lines according to measure, the first strophe of the "Justum ac tenacem" of Horace, and, making no confession, tired not only the strength, but even the fanaticism, of his executioners.

The Black Tulip by Dumas, Alexandre View in context

"Love never made a law so cruel, a law that would rob true lovers of each other's society for a whole month in a year, stretching them on the rack of absence--" There my period broke down, so I began another less ambitiously planned.

The Quest of the Golden Girl by le Gallienne, Richard View in context

"If only some one would twist him on the rack," the Duchess murmured vindictively.

The Yellow Crayon by Oppenheim, E. Phillips View in context

More results

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on the other hand
on the outs
on the part of
on the pill
on the point of doing
on the prowl
on the quiet
on the rack
on the rag
on the rebound
on the receiving end
on the right track
on the rise
on the road
on the road to

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