racket

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A bat with a round frame and tight strings, used to hit the ball in tennis, badminton, or squash.

   He bought a new tennis racket before the tournament.

2. 2
   noun

   A loud, unpleasant noise.

   The children were making such a racket that I couldn't think.

3. 3
   noun

   A dishonest way of making money.

   The police shut down a drug-smuggling racket last week.

From Middle English raket, of uncertain origin. Possibly cognate with Middle French rachette, requette (“palm of the hand”). From Arabic رَاحَةْ اَلْيَد (rāḥat al-yad, “palm of the hand”). Alternatively, the term might be derived from Dutch raketsen instead, from Middle French rachasser (“to strike (the ball) back”).

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