rack and ruin

rack and ruin

English

Etymology

1599, variant of wrack and ruin.[1]

Pronunciation

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Noun

rack and ruin (uncountable)

1. (idiomatic, proscribed) Complete destruction.
   • 1599, Thomas Fowler, The history of Corpus Christi College:

     In the mean season the College shall goe to rack and ruin.[1]

Usage notes

Etymologically incorrect, due to confusion of rack (“torture, suffer”) with wrack (“destroy”). Correct is wrack and ruin, which is accordingly preferred by style guides; however, both are common and well-established. Unusually, rack and ruin replaces wrack with rack, presumably by alliteration; other confusions instead replace rack with wrack.

References

1. Gary Martin, “Rack and ruin”, The Phrase Finder