-raking

-raking
muckrake muck"rake`, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {-raked}; p. pr. & vb. n. {-raking}.] To seek for, expose, or charge, especially habitually, corruption, real or alleged, on the part of public men and corporations.

Note: On April 14, 1906, President Roosevelt delivered a speech on ``The Man with the Muck Rake,'' in which he deprecated sweeping and unjust charges of corruption against public men and corporations. The phrase was taken up by the press, and the verb to {muckrake}, in the above sense, and the noun muckraker, to designate one so engaged, were speedily coined and obtained wide currency. The original allusion was to a character in Bunyan's ``Pilgrim's Progress'' so intent on raking up muck that he could not see a celestial crown held above him. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • raking course — a concealed course of bricks laid diagonally to the wall surface in a raking bond. [1875 80] * * * …   Universalium

  • raking bond — noun Etymology: raking (IV) 1. : diagonal bond 2. : herringbone bond * * * a brickwork bond in which concealed courses of diagonally laid bricks are used to bond exposed brickwork to the wall structure. Cf. herringbone bond …   Useful english dictionary

  • raking course — noun : a course of bricks laid diagonally between the face courses in a thick wall to strengthen it * * * a concealed course of bricks laid diagonally to the wall surface in a raking bond. [1875 80] …   Useful english dictionary

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