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rake

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rake¹

  • /ɹeɪk/ US, UK

Sounds like raik · Rhymes with -eɪk

Where it comes from

From Middle English rake [and other forms], from Old English raca, racu, ræce (“tool with a row of pointed teeth, rake”), from Proto-Germanic *rakō, *rekô (“tool with a row of pointed teeth, rake”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- (“to straighten, right oneself”).

Cognates

The English word is cognate with Danish rage (chiefly regional), Middle Dutch rāke, rēke (modern Dutch raak, reek (both regional), riek (“pitchfork, rake”)), Middle Low German rāke, racke (modern German Low German Raak (“rake; poker”)), Old High German rehho, rech (Middle High German reche, modern German Rechen (“rake”)), Old Norse reka (“shovel”) (modern Icelandic reka (“shovel”)), Old Saxon recho, Old Swedish raka (modern Swedish raka (“rake; (long) straight section of a road”)).

noun rakes

  1. 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. Orion hit a rabbit once; but though sore wounded it got to the bury, and, struggling in, the arrow caught the side of the hole and was drawn out. […] Ikey the blacksmith had forged us a spearhead after a sketch from a picture of a Greek warrior; and a rake-handle served as a shaft.

    Similar: horserake

  2. broadly A tool with a straight edge at the end used by a croupier to move chips or money across a gaming table.
  3. broadly 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.
  4. A type of puffer train that leaves behind a stream of spaceships as it moves. I've been dealing primarily with rake and spaceship interactions for ease of experimentation (a rake will invariably escape before being eaten by even its most hellish progeny, and a spaceship is easy to redraw on the spot).
  5. collective A group of mules. Plus, his ever-increasing rake of mules were outgrowing the small parcel of acreage he had inherited in Tennessee.

rake²

  • /ɹeɪk/ US, UK

Sounds like raik · Rhymes with -eɪk

Where it comes from

The verb is partly derived 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], from Old Norse raka (“to scrape”), from Proto-Germanic *raką, probably ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- (“to straighten, right oneself”).

Cognates

The English word is cognate with Middle Dutch rāken (modern Dutch raken (“to rake”) (regional)), Middle Low German rāken, Old Danish raghæ, rakæ (modern Danish rage (“to shave”)), Old Swedish raka (modern Swedish raka (“to rake; to shave”)).

The noun is derived from the verb.

verb rakes · raking · raked · rake

  1. To act upon with a rake, or as if with a rake. She is raking the gravel path to keep it even.
  2. also, figuratively, transitive 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.
  3. transitive Often followed by an adverb or preposition such as away, off, out, etc.: to drag or pull in a certain direction.
  4. ambitransitive, figuratively 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.
  5. ambitransitive, figuratively Followed by up: to bring up or uncover (something), as embarrassing information, past misdeeds, etc.
  6. ambitransitive, figuratively To search through (thoroughly). [...] I have added to both of them [language and poetry] in the choice of Words, and Harmony of Numbers which were wanting, [...] One is for raking in [Geoffrey] Chaucer (our Engliſh Ennius) for antiquated Words, which are never to be reviv'd, but when Sound or Significancy is wanting in the preſent

    Similar: comb, comb through, go over with a fine-tooth comb, scour

  7. also, ambitransitive, figuratively To move (a beam of light, a glance with the eyes, etc.) across (something) with a long side-to-side motion; specifically (often military) 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.
  8. also, ambitransitive, figuratively 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.
  9. Ireland, Northern England, Scotland, also, figuratively, transitive To cover (something) by or as if by raking things over it.
  10. To pick (a lock) with a rake.

noun rakes

  1. The act of raking.
  2. A share of profits, takings, etc., especially if obtained illegally; specifically (gambling) the scaled commission fee taken by a cardroom operating a poker game.
  3. Ireland, Scotland, slang A lot, plenty. Jim has had a rake of trouble with his new car.

rake³

  • /ɹeɪk/ US, UK

Sounds like raik · Rhymes with -eɪk

Where it comes from

From Middle English rake, rakke (“pass, path, track; type of fencing thrust; pasture land (?)”), and then partly:

* probably from Old English racu (“bed of a stream; path; account, narrative; explanation; argument, reasoning; reason”) (compare Old English hrace, hraca, hracu (“gorge”)), from Proto-Germanic *rakō (“path, track; course, direction; an unfolding, unwinding; account, narrative; argument, reasoning”) [and other forms], from Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- (“to straighten, right oneself”); and

* from Old Norse rák (“strip; stripe; furrow; small mountain ravine”), further etymology uncertain but probably ultimately from Proto-Germanic *rakō, as above.

Cognates

The English word is cognate with Icelandic rák (“streak, stripe; notch in a rock; vein in stone or wood”), Norwegian råk (“channel (in ice); cow path; trail”), Norwegian Nynorsk råk (“channel (in ice); cow path; trail; furrow; stripe”), Swedish råk (“crack or channel in ice; river valley”); and probably cognate with Old Danish rag (modern Danish rag (“stiff; taut”) (regional)), Old Norse rakr (“straight”), Swedish rak (“straight”).

noun rakes

  1. Northern England, also, figuratively A course, a path, especially a narrow and steep path or route up a hillside.
  2. A fissure or mineral vein of ore traversing the strata vertically, or nearly so.
  3. Scotland, UK A series, a succession; specifically (rail transport) a set of coupled rail vehicles, normally coaches or wagons. The train was formed of a locomotive and a rake of six coaches.

    Similar: consist

  4. Midlands, Northern England, alternative 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 rakes · raking · raked

  1. alternative Alternative spelling of raik (“(intransitive, Midlands, Northern England, Scotland) to walk; to roam, to wander; of animals (especially sheep): to graze; (transitive, chiefly Scotland) to roam or wander through (somewhere)”)

rake⁴

  • /ɹeɪk/ US, UK

Sounds like raik · Rhymes with -eɪk

Where it comes from

The verb is derived from Middle English raken (“to go, proceed; to move quickly, hasten, rush; to roam, wander”) [and other forms], from Old English racian (“to go forward, move, run; to hasten; to take a course or direction; to control, direct, govern, rule”), from Proto-West Germanic *rakōn (“to take a course or direction; to run”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- (“to straighten; to direct oneself”).

Cognates

The English word is cognate with Middle Dutch rāken (“to acquire; to hit (not miss); to reach; to touch”) (modern Dutch raken (“to hit (not miss); to touch; to become”)), Middle Low German rāken, rōken (“to hit (not miss); to reach; to touch”), Old High German rahhōn (“to narrate, speak”), and probably Swedish raka (“to rush off”).

The noun is derived from the verb.

verb rakes · raking · raked

  1. Midlands, Northern England, Scotland, intransitive To move swiftly; to proceed rapidly.
  2. intransitive 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 rakes · raik

  1. Scotland Rate of progress; pace, speed.

rake⁵

  • /ɹeɪk/ US, UK

Sounds like raik · Rhymes with -eɪk

Where it comes from

The origin of the verb is uncertain. The noun is probably derived from the verb.

possibly related terms

* German ragen (“to rise up out of; to jut or stick out”), from Middle High German ragen (compare Middle Dutch rāgen, Middle Low German rāgen), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁erǵʰ- (“to go up, rise”); and

* Middle Dutch rāken (“to acquire; to hit (not miss); to reach; to touch”) (modern Dutch raken (“to hit (not miss); to touch; to become”)), Middle Low German rāken, rōken (“to hit (not miss); to reach; to touch”), from Proto-Germanic *rakōną (“to take a course or direction; to run”) (see further at etymology 4).

verb rakes · raking · raked

  1. ambitransitive To incline (something) from a perpendicular direction. A mast rakes aft.

    Similar: slope

  2. transitive To provide (the bow or stern of a watercraft) with a rake (“a slant that causes it to extend beyond the keel”).
  3. intransitive, rare Of a watercraft: to have a rake at its bow or stern.

noun rakes

  1. A divergence from the horizontal or perpendicular; a slant, a slope.
  2. 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).
  3. The direction of slip during the movement of a fault, measured within the fault plane.
  4. 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.
  5. A slant of some other part of a watercraft (such as a funnel or mast) away from the perpendicular, usually towards the stern.
  6. The sloped edge of a roof at or adjacent to the first or last rafter.

rake⁶

  • /ɹeɪk/ US, UK

Sounds like raik · Rhymes with -eɪk

Where it comes from

The noun is a clipping of rakehell (“(archaic) lewd or wanton person, debauchee, rake”), from to rake (out) hell (“to search through hell thoroughly”), in the sense of a person so evil or immoral that they cannot be found in hell even after an extensive search: see rake (“to search through (thoroughly)”).

The verb is derived from the noun.

noun rakes

  1. A person (usually a man) who is stylish but habituated to hedonistic and immoral conduct. We have now and then rakes in the habit of Roman senators, and grave politicians in the dress of rakes. The misfortune of the thing is, that people dress themselves in what they have a mind to be, and not what they are fit for.

    Similar: roué, adulterer, bed-hopper, carpetmonger, chamberer, debauchee, debaucher, fornicator, gallant, lecher, lewdster, libertine

verb rakes · raking · raked

  1. dated, intransitive, rare To behave as a rake; to lead a hedonistic and immoral life. When women hid their necks , and veil'd their faces , Nor romp'd , nor raked , nor stared at public places

    Similar: blissom, chamber, colt, gill, harlot, harlotize, minx, rake, rig, slut, trollop, wanton

Rake⁷

proper noun Rakes · Raikes

  1. countable, uncountable A surname.
  2. countable, uncountable A village in Rogate parish, Chichester district, West Sussex, England (OS grid ref SU8027).
  3. countable, uncountable A small town in Winnebago County, Iowa, United States, named after a pioneer citizen.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: graze, skim, crease, slant, pitch, run down, glance over, blood, profligate, rip, scan, roue, scour, muck, tilt, tilting

Translations

Every language

noun garden tool

Españolrastrillo, angazo
한국어갈퀴 galkwi
日本語熊手 kumade
中文耙 pá, 耙子 pázi
हिन्दीजेली jelī
Kiswahilireki
Portuguêsrastel, rastelo, ancinho
Françaisrâteau
DeutschRechen, Harke
Italianorastrello
Ελληνικάτσουγκράνα tsougkrána
Românăgreblă
Русскийгра́бли grábli
Tiếng Việtbồ cào, bừa cỏ, bù cào, cào
العربيةمِدَمَّة midamma, مُشْط mušṭ, مِشْط mišṭ, مَشْط mašṭ
עבריתמַגְרֵפָה magrefá

noun similar wheel-mounted tool drawn by horse or tractor

DeutschSchwader

verb to act upon with a rake, or as if with a rake

Españolrastrillar
한국어갈퀴다 galkwida
中文耙 pá
Portuguêsrastelar
Françaisratisser
Deutschrechen, harken
Italianorastrellare
Ελληνικάτσουγκρανίζω tsougkranízo
Românăgrebla
Русскийсгребать sgrebatʹ, собирать sobiratʹ
Tiếng Việtbừa
العربيةيجمع الحشائش, قذائف مكثفَة, يسرح الشعر\الحشائش

verb to use a weapon to fire at (something) with a side-to-side motion

Françaisarroser
Italianomitragliare

verb to search through (thoroughly)

한국어훑다 hulda
Portuguêsvarrer
Françaisfouiller, passer au peigne fin
Deutschdurchkämmen
Italianorastrellare, ispezionare
Русскийпрочёсывать pročósyvatʹ, прочеса́ть pročesátʹ

noun set of coupled rail vehicles

Françaisrame
DeutschWagenzug
Italianoconvoglio

verb to incline (something) from a perpendicular direction

Русскийнаклонить naklonitʹ, отклонить otklonitʹ

noun divergence from the horizontal or perpendicular — see also slant, slope

Русскийуклон uklon, наклон naklon

noun rake angle — see also rake angle

Françaisangle de chasse, dépouille

noun sloped edge of a roof

Italianobordo spiovente

noun person who is stylish but habituated to hedonistic and immoral conduct

Españolcalavera
Portuguêslibertino
Françaisfumiste
DeutschLebemann, Windhund
Italianobuono a nulla, dissoluto, scapestrato, sciagurato
Tiếng Việtkẻ/người phóng đãng

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MLA

"rake." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/rake. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

rake. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/rake

Chicago

"rake." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/rake.

BibTeX
@misc{rake_2026,
  title = {rake},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/rake},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}