rake

Everyday

1. A rake is a garden tool with a long handle and a row of teeth or prongs at the end for gathering leaves or smoothing soil. tree →
2. To rake means to use a rake to gather things or make soil flat. tree →
3. To rake through something means to search it carefully. tree →
4. To rake in money means to get a lot of it. tree →
5. To rake a fire means to stir its ashes and embers with a rake-like tool. tree →

In the lessons

Everyday and safety: in autumn people rake up fallen leaves; always leave a rake with its teeth facing down, because if you step on the teeth the handle can fly up and hit your face (the joke in cartoons is a real danger). In gardening lessons you rake soil before planting seeds. Phrases: «rake up leaves», «rake through», «rake in», «as thin as a rake».

Examples

• We raked the leaves into a big pile. tree →
• Then we jumped in the pile of leaves! tree →
• Leave the rake with its prongs facing down. tree →
• Dad raked the soil flat before we planted the seeds. tree →
• She raked through the box looking for her lost earring. tree →
• My brother is as thin as a rake. tree →
• The cake sale raked in lots of money for the school. tree →
• The rake leaned against the shed. tree →
• The goodman was taking off his breeches, and the goodwife raking the fire. tree →

Note

Countable: «a rake, rakes». Past: «raked». «As thin as a rake» means very thin. A rake has many teeth; a hoe has one flat blade; a spade digs.