rake

rake over old coals

To revisit, dredge up, or talk about something that happened in the past, especially that which is unpleasant. Primarily heard in UK. Now, now, there's no need to rake over old coals, that disagreement happened a long time ago.

rake (something) together

To accumulate from various sources, especially in small amounts of increments. (Often said of money.) I'm trying to rake enough funds together to go on a trip to Florida this summer. There's no way you'll be able to rake together the votes necessary to pass this amendment.

(as) thin as a rake

Extremely skinny or slender. Primarily heard in UK. Have you seen Claire lately? She's become as thin as a rake in the last six months! I've always been thin as a rake, even when I tried to gain weight.

rake-off

Profits made from a transaction, usually in an inappropriate, illegal, or dishonest way. The mayor quickly resigned after it was discovered he was taking a rake-off from the local cartel's drug sales.

rag on someone

and rake on someone

Sl. to bother someone; to irritate someone; to criticize and humiliate someone. I wish you would stop ragging on me. I don't know why you are so annoyed at me. Stop raking on me!

rake someone over the coals

and haul someone over the coals

Fig. to give someone a severe scolding. My mother hauled me over the coals for coming in late last night. The manager raked me over the coals for being late again.

See also: coal, rake

rake something around

to spread something around with a rake. She raked the leaves around, spreading them over the flower beds as natural fertilizer. I need to rake around the soil and stir it up.

rake something in

1. Lit. to drawer pull something inward with a rake. Jane is raking in the leaves into a big pile.

2. Fig. to take in a lot of something, usually money. Our candidate will rake votes in by the thousand. They were raking in money by the bushel.

See also: rake

rake something off (of) something

and rake something off

to remove something from something by raking. (Of is usually retained before pronouns.) Please rake the leaves off the lawn. Rake off the leaves.

rake something out of something

and rake something out

to clean something out of something by raking. You ought to rake the leaves out of the gutter so the water will flow. Please rake out the leaves.

rake something up

1. Lit. to gather and clean up something with a rake. Would you please rake these leaves up before it rains? Please rake up the leaves.

2. to clean something up by raking. Would you rake the yard up? I will rake up the yard.

3. Fig. to find some unpleasant information. His opposition raked an old scandal up and made it public. That is ancient history. Why did you have to rake up that old story?

rake through something

Fig. [for someone] to rummage through something, as if with a rake. She quickly raked through the mass of loose papers, looking for the right one. I will have to rake through everything in this drawer to find a red pencil.

See also: rake

rake in something

also rake something in

to receive something valuable in large amounts University graduate students continued to rake in awards and honors this year.

Usage notes: often used about money: The fund-raiser raked in more than $23 million for the party. We were raking it in after the Times ran a review saying we were a€?the best.a€?

See also: rake

muck-raking

(informal)

the activity of trying to discover unpleasant information about people so that you can tell the public These reports are nothing but muck-raking - journalists should not be allowed to investigate ministers' private business dealings.

rake over the ashes

to think about or to talk about unpleasant events from the past

Usage notes: Ashes are what is left of something after it has been destroyed by fire.

There is no point in raking over the ashes now, you did what you thought was right at the time.

rake over the coals

to talk about unpleasant things from the past that other people would prefer not to talk about (usually in continuous tenses) There's no point in raking over the coals - all that happened twenty years ago, and there's nothing we can do about it now.

See also: coal, rake

a rake-off

(informal)

a share of the profits of something, often taken in a way that is not honest Corrupt customs officers were taking a rake-off from import taxes.

be as thin as a rake

(British, American & Australian) also be as thin as a rail (mainly American)

to be very thin He eats like a horse and yet he's as thin as a rake. She's as thin as a rail from all that running.

rake off

Make an unlawful profit, as in They suspected her of raking off some of the campaign contributions for her personal use . This expression alludes to the raking of chips by an attendant at a gambling table. [Late 1800s]

rake over the coals

Also, haul over the coals. Reprimand severely, as in When Dad finds out about the damage to the car, he's sure to rake Peter over the coals, or The coach hauled him over the coals for missing practice. These terms allude to the medieval torture of pulling a heretic over red-hot coals. [Early 1800s]

See also: coal, rake

rake up

Revive, bring to light, especially something unpleasant, as in She was raking up old gossip. [Late 1500s]

rag on

v. Slang

1. To tease or taunt someone: My older cousins used to rag on me when I was young.

2. To criticize someone severely; berate or scold someone: The supervisor ragged on the workers for being lazy.

rake in

To win, earn, or gain something in abundance: The new business they set up is raking in a lot of cash. You certainly raked in a lot of prizes at the carnival last night!

See also: rake

rake over

To revisit or reexamine something in detail, especially something that is unpleasant: I don't want to rake over past arguments. They insisted on raking the story over many times.

See also: rake

rake up

1. To collect or gather something with or as if with a rake: After I had cut the grass, I raked up the trimmings and piled them in a heap. We raked the leaves up.

2. To revive or bring something to light; uncover something: When he runs out of things to say, he rakes old stories up from his days in the army. She is sure to rake up an embarrassing story or two about me!

rag on someone

and rake on someone

in. to bother someone; to irritate someone; to criticize and humiliate someone. The kids all raked on Jed because of his intelligence. I wish you would stop ragging on me. I don’t know why you are so annoyed at me.

rake on someone

verb

See rag on someone

rake something in

tv. to take in a lot of something, usually money. Our candidate will rake votes in by the thousand.

See also: rake

rake over the coals

To reprimand severely.

See also: coal, rake

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
Junius	-	Ancient Roman
Vasa	-	Macedonian
Lino	LEE-no (Italian, Spanish), LEE-naw (Galician)	Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Galician
Isobel	-	Scottish
Osee	-	Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Sampson	['sæmpsən]