How to pronounce rake
Say it like RAYK. Rake is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
- RAYK
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Rake pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- RAYKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of rake
American and British speakers say rake in essentially the same way: /reɪk/ in the US and /reɪk/ in the UK.
British respelling: RAYK.
What does rake mean?
- A garden tool with a row of pointed teeth fixed to a long handle, used for collecting debris, grass, etc., for flattening the ground, or for loosening soil; also, a similar wheel-mounted tool drawn by a horse or a tractor.
- A tool with a straight edge at the end used by a croupier to move chips or money across a gaming table.
- A type of lockpick that has a ridged or notched blade that moves across the pins in a pin tumbler lock, causing them to settle into a shear line.
- To act upon with a rake, or as if with a rake.“She is raking the gravel path to keep it even.”
- Often followed by in: to gather (things which are apart) together, especially quickly.“The casino is just raking in the cash; it’s like a licence to print money.”
- Often followed by an adverb or preposition such as away, off, out, etc.: to drag or pull in a certain direction.
- The act of raking.
- A share of profits, takings, etc., especially if obtained illegally; specifically (gambling) the scaled commission fee taken by a cardroom operating a poker game.
- A lot, plenty.“Jim has had a rake of trouble with his new car.”
Where does rake come from?
The English word is cognate with Danish rage (chiefly regional), Middle Dutch rāke, rēke (modern Dutch raak, reek (both regional), riek (“pitchfork, rake”)), Middle Low German rāke, racke (modern German Low German Raak (“rake; poker”)), Old
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with rake
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of rake.
Questions about saying rake
How do you pronounce rake?
Say RAYK. The American pronunciation is /reɪk/. In British English it is /reɪk/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in rake?
Rake is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: RAYK.
Do Americans and Brits say rake the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /reɪk/ and the British form is /reɪk/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.