rack-rent

[ rak-rent ]

noun
  1. Also rack rent . rent equal to or nearly equal to the full annual value of a property.

verb (used with object)
  1. to exact the highest possible rent for.

  2. to demand rack-rent from.

Origin of rack-rent

1
First recorded in 1600–10

Other words from rack-rent

  • rack-renter, noun

Words Nearby rack-rent

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How to use rack-rent in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for rack-rent

rack-rent

noun
  1. a high rent that annually equals or nearly equals the value of the property upon which it is charged

  2. any extortionate rent

verb
  1. to charge an extortionate rent for (property, land, etc)

Origin of rack-rent

1
C17: from rack 1 (sense 12) + rent 1

Derived forms of rack-rent

  • rack-renter, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012