raffle

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a prize drawing in which people buy numbered tickets and winners are chosen at random

   The school held a raffle to raise money for new library books.

2. 2
   verb

   to offer something as a prize in a raffle

   The charity will raffle a donated bicycle at its summer fair.

From Middle English rafle and Old French rafle, a dice game, related to rafler ('to seize or sweep away'). The chance-based game developed into the modern ticket drawing, while the verb names disposing of a prize by that method.

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