Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Racket?

\Rack"et\, n. A scheme, dodge, trick, or the like; something taking place considered as exciting, trying, unusual, or the like; also, such occurrence considered as an ordeal; as, to work a racket; to stand upon the racket. [Slang]
\Rack"et\, n. [F. raquette; cf. Sp. raquets, It. racchetta, which is perhaps for retichetta, and fr. L. rete a net (cf. {Reticule}); or perh. from the Arabic; cf. Ar. r[=a]ha the palm of the hand (used at first to strike the ball), and OF. rachette, rasquette, carpus, tarsus.] [Written also {racquet}.] 1. A thin strip of wood, having the ends brought together, forming a somewhat elliptical hoop, across which a network of catgut or cord is stretched. It is furnished with a handle, and is used for catching or striking a ball in tennis and similar games. Each one [of the Indians] has a bat curved like a crosier, and ending in a racket. --Bancroft. 2. A variety of the game of tennis played with peculiar long-handled rackets; -- chiefly in the plural. --Chaucer. 3. A snowshoe formed of cords stretched across a long and narrow frame of light wood. [Canada] 4. A broad wooden shoe or patten for a man horse, to enable him to step on marshy or soft ground. {Racket court}, a court for playing the game of rackets.
\Rack"et\, v. t. To strike with, or as with, a racket. Poor man [is] racketed from one temptation to another. --Hewyt.
\Rack"et\, n. [Gael. racaid a noise, disturbance.] 1. confused, clattering noise; din; noisy talk or sport. 2. A carouse; any reckless dissipation. [Slang]
\Rack"et\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Racketed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Racketing}.] 1. To make a confused noise or racket. 2. To engage in noisy sport; to frolic. --Sterne. 3. To carouse or engage in dissipation. [Slang]