What is the difference between the words wrack and wreck?

Question

Dictionary.com provides similar explanations for both, but do not suggest they are the same word with substitute spelling.

Answer 1

From what I could glean at http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/

They seem to be different words (see their distinct etymologoy) with similar but not identical meanings. Wrack seems to have fallen into disuse, except for the meaning of shipwreck, most likely due to the similarity to wreck. See below:

wreck (n.) Et.: Middle English wrek from Old English wrec:

1. The remains of something that has been severely damaged or worn down.

2. An event in which something is damaged through collision.

to wreck (third-person singular simple present wrecks, present participle wrecking, simple past wrecked, past participle wrecked)

1. To cause severe damage to something, to a point where it no longer works, or is useless.
(Usage: A collision is often implied as the cause of the damage - "He wrecked the car")

2. To ruin or dilapidate.

3. To dismantle wrecked vehicles or other objects, to reclaim any useful parts. (Australia)

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wrack:

Etymology 1 Old English wræc.

Noun
Singular wrack
Plural wracks

1. (archaic or poetic) revenge, persecution
2. (archaic except in dialects) ruin, destruction
3. the remains; a wreck


Hope this helps

Answer 2

Wreck-1)To really whoop someone physically or verbally; to hand it to them.2)To Destroy 3)To go hard on tha Microphone.

Wrack- 1)An adaptation of wrecked used by people with norther accents 2)Nervous, Nerve-Wracking 3)An euphemism for a male masturbating 4)Someone who acts carelessly or foolishly, or makes mistakes because of incompetence; a fuckup.5)Someone who acts carelessly or foolishly, or makes mistakes because of incompetence; a fuckup.

it all depends on the context.

Answer 3

Wrack was used in the old days in England...it meant the same as wreck....Wrack is also a sort of seaweed here in the U.K.

Answer 4

Both are similar. One is English and the other American way of spelling.

Answer 5

Like grey and gray. It is just different spellink. ;-)

Check a thesaurus and you will see them nicely paired.