rack-rent

1 of 2

verb

rack-rented; rack-renting; rack-rents

transitive verb

: to subject to rack rent

rack rent

2 of 2

noun

1
: an excessive or unreasonably high rent
2
British : the highest rent that can be earned on a property

Word History

Etymology

Noun

rack entry 2

First Known Use

Verb

1621, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1743, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rack-rent was in 1621

Dictionary Entries Near rack-rent

Cite this Entry

“Rack-rent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rack-rent. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on rack-rent

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!