![]() ![]() “Wrack” is believed to be a descendant of the Middle Dutch word “wrak,” which meant to “wreck.”Ĭonsequently, “wrack” was used to refer to “shipwreck,” and “wrack” came to mean “to damage or to destroy.” Similar to “rack,” “wrack” can be used as both a noun and a verb. This is also where an expression like “rack one’s nerves” comes from. So, if we follow the thread here, we will find that “to rack one’s brain” means to stretch it and strain to the degree of torture. Unfortunately, it wasn’t long before “rack” came to mean a frame that human beings are stretched on as a form of torture, and it is this definition that gives us the expression “to rack one’s brain.”Īfter all, “rack” came to be associated with mental harm and physical suffering.Īnd, soon after that, the word “rack” acquired a few more definitions, including “to stretch” or “to strain.” ![]() Most people attribute the origins of the word “rack” to the Middle Dutch word “rec,” which meant “framework.”Īnd, it is also believed that “rack” was related to and had the same origins as the Old English word “recken,” which meant to “stretch out.”Īs a result, in Middle English, “rack” was used to denote a frame that was used to dry and stretch things out on, specifically leather. To understand why, we will have to learn the etymology of both “rack” and “wrack” and see how these disparate words have developed over the years.įor starters, the word “rack” has more than one meaning, and it can be used both as a noun and as a verb. Why is “rack your brain” the officially correct form? ![]() Conversely, the unofficial answer is that both forms are correct and that you can use whichever version your prefer. The official answer is that the correct phrase is “to rack your brain”. Is it “to rack my brain” or “to wrack my brain”? One such case is the pair “rack” and “wrack,” and nowhere is the line between the two more blurred than in the phrases “rack your brain” and “wrack your brain,” both of which have been written by professional writers in the past. However, some homonyms may have similar meanings or may have been used interchangeably over the years, muddying the waters and blurring the line dividing the two. Who hasn’t mistakenly written “you’re” instead of “your” or “their” instead of “there”?īut as confounding as it may be, at least most homonyms follow clear rules, and any proficient language user can tell you which word you should be using in each context.įor example, almost every English speaker is aware that “your” is a possessive pronoun while “you’re” is a contraction of “you are.”Īnd, accordingly, each one of these homonyms has its own place in the English language. Sign up for the Dot and Dash newsletter to get writing tips and tricks and exclusive deals. They are only one letter off.Įrin Servais is the founder of Dot and Dash, LLC, an author-services company focusing on women writers and offering a range of editing, coaching, and social media packages. To remember the difference between rack and wrack think: wrack = wreck. This is why some dictionaries, such as Merriam-Webster, are advocating for using the words interchangeably and treating them as spelling variants. It’s true that rack and wrack have very similar uses. This idea of torturing is why we use rack instead of wrack.Įxample: I found studying for my chemistry final nerve-racking. Something that is nerve-racking tortures your nerves. This idea of stretching is why we use rack instead of wrack.Įxample: I really racked my brain studying for my chemistry final. When you rack your brain, you are thinking really hard, stretching your brain’s capabilities. Now let’s go over a couple common phrases using one of these words. Wrack comes from a word meaning “to be shipwrecked.” Both of these words have pretty gloomy origins, don’t they? Wrack as a verb means “to wreck or ruin something.”Įxample: They sat back as they watched pollution wrack their planet. And when we use it, we signify torturing, especially stretching. Sounds like fun times.Īnyway, that’s where we get this usage of rack. When a person was placed on the rack, the torturer would crank the device, stretching the person’s limbs until they dislocated them. Have you ever heard of the medieval torture device called the rack? It was a wooden frame with a crank attached to it. Rack as a verb means “to torture or cause great suffering.” ![]() What’s the difference between rack and wrack? Let’s take a look at their definitions, how to use them in popular phrases, and a mnemonic device to help you remember which is which. ![]()
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