The Differences Between Rack and Wrack

As Jeremy Butterfield points out: The relationship between the forms rack and wrack is complicated, and the spellings are sometimes interchangeable (Oxford A-Z of English Usage, 2013). Definitions Rack and Wrack as VerbsAs a verb, rack means to torture or cause great suffering, or to place (something) in or on a rack. The verb wrack  means to wreck or cause the ruin of something. Rack  and  Wrack  as NounsAs a  noun,  rack means a frame, a shelf, an instrument of torture, or a state of intense anguish. The noun wrack means destruction or wreckage. Idiomatically, we may rack the billiard balls, rack up points, and roast a rack of lamb. But when it comes to nerve-(w)racking experiences or (w)racking our brains, most writers, dictionaries, and usage guides admit to being (w)racked with uncertainty. See the (sometimes contradictory) usage notes below. Examples One  bicycle, rusted as if  it had been there for years, leaned in the rack, its fenders supporting crescents of white. (John Updike, Flight.  The Early Stories: 1953-1975. Knopf,  2003)To delight in seeing men stabbed, poisoned, racked, or impaled is certainly the sign of a cruel temper. (Joseph Addison, The Spectator, April 20, 1711)I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable, racked with sorrow, but through it all, I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing. (Agatha Christie, An Autobiography, 1977)Penny was wracked with sorrow for his friends. His face was strained. (Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, The Yearling, 1938)There is a half-filled baby bottle on the cupboard shelf. She picks it up. The babys cry is becoming nerve-wracking. (Paddy Chayefsky, The Goddess, 1958)But having to be present for merchandise deliveries that Eunice ordered online or on the phone was nerve-racking. (Joseph Wambaugh, Hollywood Moon, 2009)Lud had been going to wrack and ruin for centuries. (Stephen King, Wizard, and Glass, 1997) Usage Notes and Idiom Alerts Rack and wrack are confused so frequently that most dictionaries now list both spellings for the verb meaning torment and the noun meaning destruction. (Margery Fee and Janice McAlpine, Guide to Canadian English Usage, 2nd ed. Oxford University Press, 2007) Idioms and Variant Spellings In some senses, the verbs rack and wrack are synonymous, and the two words, each as either noun or verb, are nearly interchangeable at some points. The usage problems arise over which spelling to use where there seems to be a possible or a clear overlap in meaning. Most Edited English will prefer to rack your brain, wrack and ruin, storm-wracked, and pain-wracked, but other Standard written evidence, including some Edited English, will use the variant spelling for each. (Kenneth G. Wilson, The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. Columbia University Press, 1993) (W)rack and Ruin The expression (w)rack and ruin preserves the original sense of destruction. (These days rack, and ruin is the more common spelling in both British and American English, by the evidence of the BNC and CCAE.)...As often, figurative uses of rack and wrack have enlarged their domains and made the spelling interchangeable wherever the sense of severe stress and destruction apply. Wrack seems to be gaining ground there, although still less common than rack in collocations such as nerve-racking and racking ones brains. (Pam Peters, The Cambridge Guide to English Usage. Cambridge University Press, 2004) Nerve-Racking Wrack is commonly used as a verb synonymous with the figurative senses of rack...Probably the most sensible attitude would be to ignore the etymologies of rack and wrack (which, of course, is exactly what most people do) and regard them simply as spelling variants of one word. If you choose to toe the line drawn by the commentators, however, you will want to write nerve-racking, rack ones brains, storm-wracked, and for good measure wrack and ruin. Then you will have nothing to worry about being criticized for—except, of course, for using too many clichà ©s. (Merriam-Websters Dictionary of English Usage, Merriam-Webster, 1994) Rack em Up The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage has a great idea here: Never use wrack, because it confuses people. Instead, when wrack means wreck, just use wreck. (But when you mean inflict damage, spell it wreak. You wreak havoc on; you never wreck havoc because havoc is unwreckable.)O.K., keynoters, lets rack em up: Its traditional to rack up your opponent with a good tongue-lashing for having led the country to wrack and ruin, and after you rack up a victory, you can wreak patronage vengeance from high atop your city on a hill. (William Safire, Quoth the Maven: More on Language from William Safire. Random House, 1993) Wracked With Doubt The noun rack applies to various types of framework; the verb rack means to arrange on a rack, to torture, trouble, or torment: He was placed on the rack. She racked her brain....The noun wrack  means ruin or destruction, as in wrack and ruin and wracked with pain. Also nerve-wracking....The verb wrack has substantially the same meaning as the verb rack, the latter being preferred. (The Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law 2011. Associated Press, 2015) Practice He placed his trunk in the luggage _____ and took a seat by the window.The bridge had fallen into _____ and ruin. Answers to Practice Exercises Answers to Practice Exercises: Rack and Wrack He placed his trunk in the luggage rack and took a seat by the window.The bridge had fallen into (w)rack and ruin.

Technology and Happiness - 1123 Words

Technology and Happiness James Surowiecki In the 20th century, Americans, Europeans, and East Asians enjoyed material and technological advances that were unimaginable in previous eras. In the United States, for example, gross domestic product per capita tripled from 1950 to 2000. Life expectancy soared. The boom in productivity after World War II made goods better and cheaper at the same time. Things that were once luxuries, such as jet travel and long-distance phone calls, became necessities. And even though Americans seemed to work extraordinarily hard, their pursuit of entertainment turned media and leisure into multibillion-dollar industries. By most standards, then, you would have to say that Americans are better off now than they†¦show more content†¦These are all phenomena that make people consciously unhappy. But for the most part, modern critiques(è ¯â€žÃ¨ ® º)of technology have focused not so much on specific, bad technologies as the impact of technology on our human relationships. Privacy has become increasingly fragile(易ç ¢Å½Ã§Å¡â€ž)in a world of linked databases. In many workplaces, technologies like keystroke monitoring and full recording of phone calls make it easier to watch workers. The notion that technology disrupts relationships and fractures community gained mainstream prominence as an attack on television. Some even say that TV is chiefly responsible for the gradual isolation of Americans from each other. Similarly, the harmful effects of the Internet, which supposedly further isolates people from what is often called â€Å"the real world†. This broad criticism of technology’s impact on relationships is an interesting one and is especially relevant to the question of happiness, because one of the few things we can say for certain is that the more friends and the closer relationships people have, the happier they tend to be. Today, technological change is so rapid that when you buy something, you do so knowing that in a few months there’s going to be a better, faster version for the product, and that you’re going to be stuck with the old one. Someone else, in other words, has it better. It’s as if disappointment were built into acquisition from the very beginning. Daily stress, an annoyingShow MoreRelatedFahrenheit 451 : Technology And Happiness1177 Words   |  5 Pages There is no question that science and technology is as essential to functioning in an advanced society as soil is essential for a flower. In numerous communities, technology is so often an asset to be yearned for. 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Music and Its Impact on People of Different Ages free essay sample

Chital Campbell October 3, 2011 Over the period of years music has changed drastically. Music has become a major factor in peoples lives of all ages. Music is becoming a mixed variety of different cultures. For example more African-American cultures are beginning to like more of the Pop music instead of Just and Rap. The impact of music does not impact Just certain ages but it impacts all ages. The reason for that is music give a broader Impact on what is being played.Also, children from the ages of one and up are mostly listening to the same music as their parents. Finally, the Impact of music gives people of all ages to dress a certain way. To begin with, music gives a broader impact on what is being played. Music today opens up a wide variety of sounds. Many people do not listen to the lyrics, but they listen to the beats that are being played. We will write a custom essay sample on Music and Its Impact on People of Different Ages or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The beats of music are far more important than the lyrics because rappers and singers are finding ways to make money off of them. The beats of music are the money maker and It impacts music a whole lot.Also, aspiring rappers and singers are even trying to create their own music on these different beats so they could be recognized. Music producers and artist know what is going to sell to the audience. The variety of sounds that are put out their gives a broader impact of what is heard in music. Next, children from the ages of one and up are mostly listening to the same music as their parents. When It comes to music most children can tell what the name of a song is and what the words are within the song. Children are impacted by music because most parents are not letting them listen to any other music besides Rap andR. For example, a child can sings Nick Minas song or Ill Wayne song but cant sing their Abss. In my opinion these artist may need to come up with their own version of the BBC song and children will be willing and eager to learn. Music does Impact learning for children because they really do not want to listen to anything else but Rap, Pop, and R. It is sad that it has come to this but parents need to look more into their childrens education instead of letting them listen to cursing and other subjective things in music. Finally, the impact of music gives people of all ages to dress a certain way.In the allow the styles they see of different music artist. For example, the skinny Jeans and tight t-shirt look. Many rap artists are into the skinny Jeans and tight t-shirts and as I can see so are the ones who are not celebrities. The styles of all music artists change up in many different ways. People of all ages are trying to keep up with them. There are cheap ways to keep up with the look but it can get expensive. People have to the right to dress anyway they want but at the same time they are copying their favorite rapper or singer. To summarize, music does have an impact on people of all different ages.Music has changed over the years and now it has become more aware for the younger generation. Music gives a broader impact on what is being played. The beats of music are the money maker and they have a bigger impact than the lyrics. Children from ages one and up are mostly listening to the same music as their parents. Children can sing songs for different artists but they cannot sing their Abss. The impact of music gives people of all ages to dress a certain way. The skinny Jeans and tight t-shirt look is a trend that everyone is following because they see on their favorite rapper or singer.

Yellow Journalism Essay Example For Students

Yellow Journalism Essay The people of Russia were led to believe that on New Years Day, January 1st, President Boris Yeltsin suspiciously and suddenly resigned. Some people claim he was to old and to senile to finish his presidential term, others claim he was too sick, deathly sick, others claim he was just fed up with the horrible condition of the Russian Government. Still, a raising number of conspirators are led to believe that Boris Yeltsin, in no way resigned, but was silently assassinated by a group of terrorist rebels from Southern Siberia. Russian Intelligence staged the entire resigning to prevent panic and chaos amongst citizens during the coming of the New Year. Although not a thing has been proved yet, people in Russia are beginning to get suspicious, Yeltsin has not been seen on the news or in his private estate. We will write a custom essay on Yellow Journalism specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The Rallies held to conspire about the truth are brutally broken-up by Moscow police officers with knight sticks and riot poles, many citizens are rushed to the hospital to intensive care. All Russian Government officials are holding comments until further notice. It is rumored that the over eight turbulent and often chaotic years of social and political transformation Yeltsin presided were just too much for the rebels to put up with. It is said Boris Yeltsin was assassinated within the Kremlin. It also seems the rebels attempts did help Russia at all. Bibliography: .