The
spelling ‘rack’ is now used in all senses except for the seaweed called wrack
. So it’s “rack and ruin,” … “racking my brains,” and so on. Some other usage guides provide a way of dealing with this question that has a certain brutal charm: just stop using the word wrack.
Is the phrase nerve-wracking or nerve-racking?
Nerve-racking
and nerve-wracking are alternate spellings of the same adjective, referring to something stressful or anxiety-inducing. Nerve-racking is the common word preferred to describe stressful situations while wrack means damage and destruction and unless you are talking about damage, nerve-racking is to be used.
What does racking your brain?
to try
very hard to remember something
or to solve a problem. I’ve racked my brain, but I just can’t remember his name. Synonyms and related words. To memorize something, or to try to remember something.
What is nerve-racking?
:
extremely trying on the nerves
a nerve-racking ordeal The job interview was a nerve-racking experience.
Is it wracking or racking my brain?
The
correct and original spelling is racking my brain
. But the variant wracking my brain has become so well established by now that only strict traditionalists consider it a mistake. So, if you want to be perfectly correct, use nerve-racking and racking my brain.
What does wrack it up mean?
to obtain or achieve something, or to score goals or points
: The airline was racking up losses of $1.5 million a day. Miller racked up 28 points in the first half, and kept racking them up in the second.
What does racking sobs mean?
A
racking pain or emotion
is a distressing one that you feel very strongly. She was now shaking with long, racking sobs. See also nerve-racking.
Why is it called nerve wracking?
Some people prefer “nerve-wracking” because they associate it with wrecking – the wording “
nervous wreck” is recorded as early as 1871
. It was always likely that rack and wrack should overlap. Wr- at the start of a word has been hard to pronounce from the time when w began to sound in Old English as it does today.
How do you use nerve wracking in a sentence?
- It was nerve wracking not to know what was happening. …
- Asking someone to dance is always nerve-wracking, whether you’re a boy or a girl. …
- The tunnels at the sides and the open areas in front of the bases make for frantic firefights and nerve-wracking chases.
What is nerve wracking day?
extremely irritating, annoying
, or trying: a nerve-racking day; a nerve-racking noise.
Can you pick brain?
to ask someone’s advice about a subject the person knows a lot about: Can I pick your brain about how you got rid of those weeds?
Is it wracked with pain or racked with pain?
As such, “wrack” is often accepted as a variant spelling of the verb form of “
rack
.” For example, we can say “wracked with pain” as well as “racked with pain.” But keep in mind that “rack” and “wrack” are only interchangeable when used as a verb.
Why does nerve pain happen?
Nerve pain can be
due to problems in the central nervous system
(brain and spinal cord), or in the nerves that run from there to the muscles and organs. It is usually caused by disease or injury. Common causes include: an injury to the brain, spine or nerves.
What is the meaning of wrack?
1 :
ruin, destruction
. 2 : a remnant of something destroyed. wrack. verb (1) wracked; wracking; wracks.
What is the meaning of nerve?
courage, bravery, or steadfastness.
lose one’s nerve to become timid
, esp failing to perform some audacious act. informal boldness or effrontery; impudencehe had the nerve to swear at me. muscle or sinew (often in the phrase strain every nerve)
How do you spell wrack my brain?
The spelling ‘
rack’
is now used in all senses except for the seaweed called wrack. So it’s “rack and ruin,” … “racking my brains,” and so on. Some other usage guides provide a way of dealing with this question that has a certain brutal charm: just stop using the word wrack.