1
a
: an implement equipped with projecting prongs to gather material (such as leaves) or for loosening or smoothing the surface of the ground
b
: a machine for gathering hay
2
: an implement like a rake
raked; raking
1
: to gather, loosen, or smooth with or as if with a rake
rake leaves into a pile
2
: to gain rapidly or in abundance
—usually used with in
rake in a fortune
4
: to censure severely
5
: to search through : ransack
6
: to sweep the length of especially with gunfire : enfilade
7
: to glance over rapidly
raker
noun
1
: inclination from the perpendicular
especially
: the overhang of a ship's bow or stern
2
: inclination from the horizontal : slope
3
: the angle between the top cutting surface of a tool and a plane perpendicular to the surface of the work
Synonyms
Verb (1)
Noun (2)
Noun (3)
Examples of rake in a Sentence
Verb (1)
he raked repeatedly through his luggage, hoping that in one of the bags he would find his lost passport before his flight's departure
Noun (2)
the floor of the auditorium doesn't have much of a rake, so sightlines for spectators in the rear are not good
Noun (3)
was often spotted in sordid places that reinforced a reputation as one of the city's most notorious rakes
Recent Examples on the Web
Meghan Davy Sandvold, Twin Cities, 8 Feb. 2025
Use a rake to gather up stray stems and clean up the area.
—Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Feb. 2025
Paul Sisson, The Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2025
Dash Day had himself quite a time, raking the trap, drawing in the sand and playing with a golf ball while his dad posed for pictures with a trophy and a surfboard — and a check for $1.13 million.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for rake 
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Noun
Volunteers are asked to register in advance for this family-friendly event and to bring their own rakes.
—Meghan Davy Sandvold, Twin Cities, 8 Feb. 2025
Use a rake to gather up stray stems and clean up the area.
—Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Feb. 2025
Verb
The Lilac fire spread from the edge of nearby I-15 in a southwesterly direction and raked across the rear of a tan-colored home on the eastern side of Ranchos Ladera Road, burning up to the property’s patio.
—Paul Sisson, The Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2025
Dash Day had himself quite a time, raking the trap, drawing in the sand and playing with a golf ball while his dad posed for pictures with a trophy and a surfboard — and a check for $1.13 million.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for rake
Dictionary Entries Near rake
Cite this Entry
“Rake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rake. Accessed 20 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rake
1 of 3 noun1
: a garden tool with a long handle and prongs at the end
2
: a machine for gathering hay
rake
2 of 3 verb
raked; raking
1
: to gather, loosen, or smooth with or as if with a rake
rake leaves
raking in money
2
a
: to touch in passing over lightly
3
: to search through : ransack
rake the records for evidence
4
: to sweep the length of with or as if with gunfire
raker
noun
rake
3 of 3 nounEtymology
Noun
Old English racu "a tool for gathering up grass or straw"
Noun
a shortened form of earlier rakehell (same meaning)
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