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wrack

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Wrack is seaweed that is placed on the shore by the waves, or a shipwreck or other wreckage.

(noun)

Course brown seaweed laying along the beach is an example of wrack.
The sunken remains of the Titanic are an example of wrack.

See wrack in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

destruction; ruin
a wrecked ship
1. wreckage
2. a fragment of something that has been destroyed
seaweed or other marine plant life cast up on shore

Origin: ME wrak, damage, wrecked ship < MDu wrak, a wreck, wrecked ship; akin to OE wræc, misery, something driven (< wrecan, to wreak)

transitive verb, intransitive verb

Archaic to wreck or be wrecked

transitive verb

rack; esp.,

to subject to extreme mental or physical suffering; torture
to disturb violently; convulse

Origin: altered (infl. by wrack) < rack

noun

a rack of clouds or other vapor

Origin: altered < rack

See wrack in American Heritage Dictionary 4

also rack

noun

Destruction or ruin.
A remnant or vestige of something destroyed.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English

Origin: , from Old English wrǽc, punishment (influenced by Middle Dutch wrak, shipwreck)

also rack

noun

a. Wreckage, especially of a ship cast ashore.
b. Chiefly British Violent destruction of a building or vehicle.
a. Dried seaweed.
b. Marine vegetation, especially kelp.

verb wracked also racked, wrack·ing also rack·ing, wracks also racks

verb, transitive

To cause the ruin of; wreck.

verb, intransitive

To be wrecked.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English wrak

Origin: , from Middle Dutch

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