From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishrakerake1 /reɪk/ noun 1 [countable]DLG a gardening tool with a row of metal teeth at the end of a long handle, used for making soil level, gathering up dead leaves etc a garden rake2 [countable] old-fashionedSYDFD a man who has many sexual relationships, drinks too much alcohol etc3 [singular]CF the angle of a slope the rake of the stage
Examples from the Corpus
rake• Did he think that would work if she got him gloves and a rake and shovel?• Unfortunately I sometimes think some one left a rake lying across a lot of them.• She went through the house door leading into the garage, seized a rake and plunged into the cold wind.• The hoes and rakes are still there, leaning against the wall, useless.• And on a car of this class the steering column ought to adjust for rake as well as reach.• The cinema was built on a hill, giving a natural rake to the auditorium seating.• Are they coming to mow the lawn or to liberate the hostages with rakes, clippers and blowers?rakerake2 verb 1 [intransitive, transitive]DLG to move a rake across a surface in order to make the soil level, gather dead leaves etcrake something over/up She raked the soil over to loosen the weeds.2 [intransitive always + adverb/preposition]LOOK FOR to search a place very carefully for somethingrake through/around I’ve been raking through my drawers looking for those tickets.3 [transitive]MOVE something OR somebody to point something such as a gun, camera, or strong light, and keep moving it across an area SYN sweep The searchlight raked the open ground around the prison.rake something with something They raked the room with gunfire.4 [transitive]DH to push a stick backwards and forwards in a fire in order to remove ashes5 → rake over the past/old coals6 → rake your fingers (through something) → rake something ↔ in → rake something ↔ up→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
rake• He moved, and his shock of hair caught the sun as he raked a hand through it.• Connors got his fuel bladder raked and had to break away from the flight.• Around them women and men and children worked in the hayfield, gathering and loading, raking and stacking.• He raked his fingers through fur the color of weak tea, brown, red, golden tint of gaslight.• He raked his fingers through his hair, as if debating what to say next, and she followed the movement.• And it will really drive civilized people nuts if Phillips starts raking in extra dough by posing in commercials for sports products.• The lawn had been freshly cut, some grass raked into piles on the front walk.• Cracks in rendering should be raked out, cut back to sound material if necessary and then filled with new mortar.• They paid me $20 to rake the leaves in their front yard.• Guerrillas raked the room with gunfire.• The women raked us with their cold stares.rake through/around• Every time we go out there and rake through a load, we turn over a piece of clothing and hope.• They rake through customer complaints for ideas for improving their products or service.• Dempster raked through his pockets and brought out a crumpled five-pound note.• Dolce e Gabbana were caught raking through Marie Antoinette's closet for their collection presented in Milan.• The coral sand will need raking through regularly to prevent it packing down solid and reducing the through-flow.• Her hands lifted to cradle his head, and hold him against her, her fingers raking through the crisp dark hair.• Hot sulphurous winds began to rake through the empty Delhi avenues.• She passed through the doorway, her eyes raking through the little knot of people clustered round it.From Longman Business Dictionaryrakerake /reɪk/ verbFINANCE → rake something → in → rake something → off→ See Verb tableOrigin rake1 1. Old English racu2. (1600-1700) Origin unknown