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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 someoneSl. 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 coalsFig. 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.
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.
rake something off (of) something
and rake something offto 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 outto 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.
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€?
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.
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]
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
v. 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!
rake over
v. 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.
rake up
v.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
verbrake something in
tv. to take in a lot of something, usually money. Our candidate will rake votes in by the thousand.
rake over the coals
To reprimand severely.