freq. erron. f. RACK v.3
1553–5. Latimer, in Strype, Eccl. Mem. (1721), III. App. xxxv. 98. The Martyrs in the old Time were wracked.
1622. Fletcher, Sea Voy., I. i. The Money I ha wrackt by usury.
a. 1637. B. Jonson, Discov., Wks. (1641), 118. Doubtfull writing hath wrackt mee beyond my patience.
1674. N. Fairfax, Bulk & Selv., To Rdr. As the one had wrackt and limm’d my thoughts, with endless tenters.
1683. Cave, Ecclesiastici, Eusebius, 33. The Church rather expounds the Opinion … into a favourable sence, than nicely weighs and wracks their words.
1720. Welton, Suffer. Son of God, II. xiv. 370. What great Concern wracks the Spirit of a faithful Servant of God.
1721. Strype, Eccl. Mem., II. II. xiv. 353. Landlords had now so wracked their rents.
1756. Monitor, No. 72. II. 197. If they wrack their brains … to find out [etc.].
1785. Burns, Scotch Drink, i. Let … Crabbit names an’ stories wrack us, An’ grate our lug.
1895. Parkhurst, in Advance (Chicago), 7 March, 808/2. Sin … wracks the machinery of the mind.
1893. Daily News, 31 Aug., 5/3. They themselves are wracking their busy brains.
absol. 1607. Shaks., Cor., V. i. 16. A paire of Tribunes, that haue wrack’d for Rome, To make Coales cheape.
