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noun Uncommon

rake

rayk
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Rake (noun) means a garden tool with a row of teeth on a long handle, used to gather leaves or debris or to smooth soil. Example: “He leaned the rake against the shed after clearing the leaves.”

noun
1
A garden tool with a row of teeth on a long handle, used to gather leaves or debris or to smooth soil.
"He leaned the rake against the shed after clearing the leaves."
2
A backward slant, especially of a ship's mast or funnel, or of a theatre stage or seating.
"The stage had a slight rake so the back rows could see clearly."
3
A man who lives a reckless, self-indulgent, and often promiscuous lifestyle.
"The novel\'s hero starts out as a notorious rake before falling in love."
verb
1
To gather, smooth, or clear something using a rake or a similar sweeping motion.
"She spent the afternoon raking the fallen leaves into piles."
"Investigators raked through old files looking for evidence."
2
To fire a weapon in a sweeping motion along the length of a target.
"Machine-gun fire raked the length of the trench."

How to use rake

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishMost commonly the garden tool or the act of using it — but also a slant/tilt, or (in older or literary English) a charming but disreputable man.

Memory tip

If you meet "rake" describing a person in a novel, it almost always means a charming womanizer, not a garden tool.

Trace the full origin ↓
Common pairings
rake leaves garden rake rake in profits a notorious rake
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Word forms

Plural
rakes
Third person singular
rakes
Past tense
raked
Archaic forms
rakest, rakedst, raketh
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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

He leaned the _____ against the shed after clearing the leaves.

Etymology

From Old English raca/racu, "tool with a row of teeth", from a Proto-Germanic root meaning "to straighten" — the "immoral man" sense developed separately, likely a shortening of "rakehell".

Origin: Old English

Synonyms

View more →
comb scrape sweep libertine playboy roué rakehell roue pitch profligate blood rip

Antonyms

prude

Related words

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Rhymes for rake

ake take make wake cake lake sake bake fake jake Dake snake
See all rhymes for rake →

Frequently asked questions

What does “rake” mean?
The word “rake” means a garden tool with a row of teeth on a long handle, used to gather leaves or debris or to smooth soil. In plain terms, most commonly the garden tool or the act of using it — but also a slant/tilt, or (in older or literary English) a charming but disreputable man.
How do you pronounce “rake”?
“Rake” is pronounced rayk (/ɹeɪk/ in IPA).
How do you use “rake” in a sentence?
Here is “rake” used in a sentence: “He leaned the rake against the shed after clearing the leaves.”
What part of speech is “rake”?
Depending on how it is used, “rake” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “rake” come from?
The word “rake” comes from Old English. From Old English raca/racu, "tool with a row of teeth", from a Proto-Germanic root meaning "to straighten" — the "immoral man" sense developed separately, likely a shortening of "rakehell".
Is “rake” a common word?
“Rake” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “rake” have?
“Rake” has 5 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a garden tool with a row of teeth on a long handle, used to gather leaves or debris or to smooth soil.

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