rake

[[t]re͟ɪk[/t]]

rakes, raking, raked

1) N-COUNT A rake is a garden tool consisting of a row of metal or wooden teeth attached to a long handle. You can use a rake to make the earth smooth and level before you put plants in, or to gather leaves together.

2) VERB If you rake a surface, you move a rake across it in order to make it smooth and level.

[V n] Rake the soil, press the seed into it, then cover it lightly...

[V n] The beach is raked and cleaned daily.

3) VERB If you rake leaves or ashes, you move them somewhere using a rake or a similar tool.

[V n adv/prep] I watched the men rake leaves into heaps...

[V prep] She raked out the ashes from the boiler.

4) VERB If someone rakes an area with gunfire or with light, they cover it thoroughly by moving the gun or the light across from one side of the area to another.

[V n with n] Planes dropped bombs and raked the beach with machine gun fire...

[V n with n] The caravan was raked with bullets...

[V prep] The headlights raked across a painted sign.

5) VERB If branches or someone's finger nails rake your skin, they scrape across it. [LITERARY]

[V n] Ragged fingernails raked her skin...

[V n with n] He found the man's cheeks and raked them with his nails.

Syn:

scrape

6) VERB If you rake through a pile of objects or rubbish, you search through it thoroughly with your hands.

[V through n] Many can survive only by raking through dustbins.

Syn:

rummage through

7) N-COUNT (disapproval) If you call a man a rake, you mean that he is rather immoral, for example because he gambles, drinks, or has sexual relationships with many women. [OLD-FASHIONED]

Phrasal Verbs:

- rake in

- rake over

- rake up