rack (redirected from racked brains)

go to rack and ruin and go to wrack and ruin

to become ruined. (The words rack and wrack mean "wreckage" and are found only in this expression.) That lovely old house on the corner is going to go to rack and ruin. My lawn is going to wrack and ruin.

See also: and, ruin

rack something up 

1. Lit. to place something onto or into its rack. You had better rack the billiard balls up when you finish this game. Please rack up the balls.

2. Fig. to accumulate something; to collect or acquire something. They all racked a lot of profits up. We racked up twenty points in the game last Saturday.

3. Sl. to wreck or damage something. Fred racked his new car up. He racked up his arm in the football game.

See also: up

rack one's brain(s)

Fig. to try very hard to think of something. I racked my brains all afternoon, but couldn't remember where I put the book. Don't waste any more time racking your brain. Go borrow the book from the library.

See also: brain

rack out

Sl. to go to bed and to sleep. I'm really tired. I've got to go rack out for a while. I racked out until nearly noon.

See also: out

racked with pain

suffering from severe pain. My body was racked with pain, and I nearly passed out. My head was racked with pain.

See also: pain

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go to rack/wrack and ruin  (old-fashioned)

if a building goes to rack and ruin, its condition becomes very bad because no one is taking care of it She's let that house go to rack and ruin since Clive died.

See also: and, ruin

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.

rack your brain/brains

to think very hard, usually in order to remember something or to find a solution to a problem I've been racking my brains but I still can't remember who wrote that play.

See go to rack and ruin

See also: brain

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off the rack

1. from among the goods available in stores We are requiring contestants to buy their outfits off the rack and banning custom-made costumes.

2. at the usual price Members can get discounts of up to 50 percent on the hotels' off-the-rack rates.

rack your brains also rack your brain

to try very hard to remember or think of something She racked her brains for a subject they could discuss without an argument.

See also: brain

rack up something also rack something up

1. to obtain a large amount of something We racked up a lot of miles on our last vacation. Laura is starting to rack the money up now.

2. to score a large number of points Even though Miller racked up 28 points, the team still lost.

See also: up