Where does “rackwork” come from?

rackwork (English) comes from English work, from Middle English werk, from Old English weorc, from Proto-West Germanic werk, from Proto-Germanic werką, from Proto-Indo-European wérǵom, from Proto-Indo-European werǵ- — to make.

rackwork (English): Any mechanism with a rack, such as a rack and...

Definitions

  1. Any mechanism with a rack, such as a rack and...

Ancestry of “rackwork”, step by step

rackwork traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English work

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishwork"Employment."; "Effort."; Sustained effort to...
2Middle Englishwerkwork
3Old Englishweorcwork, in various senses, including
4Proto-West Germanicwerkwork
5Proto-Germanicwerkąwork
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwérǵomwork
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwerǵ-to make

via English rack

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishrackA series of one or more shelves, stacked one...
2Old Englishreċċanto stretch, extend; to stretch out, extend
3Proto-West Germanicrakkjanto stretch, to straighten
4Proto-Germanicrakjanąto stretch, to straighten
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃roǵéyetito straighten, to make straight, to cause to be...
6Proto-Indo-European-éyetiForms causative imperfective verbs from roots;...
7Proto-Indo-European-yetiCreates transitive imperfective verbs from roots
Every word from Proto-Indo-European werǵ-