Causing extreme pain or suffering; the present participle of rack, meaning to cause severe pain or to stretch violently.
From Old Norse 'rrek' through Middle Dutch 'rec' meaning to stretch or strain. Historically connected to the torture instrument called 'the rack,' which stretched victims' limbs.
When someone has 'racking sobs,' the word evokes the brutal medieval torture device—language preserves violent history even in everyday expressions about emotional pain!
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