racket

n. 1. 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 ] [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. an organized illegal activity, such as illegal gambling, bootlegging, or extortion. [ PJC ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Racketed; p. pr. & vb. n. Racketing. ] 1. To make a confused noise or racket. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To engage in noisy sport; to frolic. Sterne. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To carouse or engage in dissipation. [ Slang ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. raquette; cf. Sp. raqueta, It. racchetta, which is perhaps for retichetta, and fr. L. rete a net (cf. Reticule); or perh. from the Arabic; cf. Ar. rāha 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Each one [ of the Indians ] has a bat curved like a crosier, and ending in a racket. Bancroft. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A variety of the game of tennis played with peculiar long-handled rackets; -- chiefly in the plural. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A snowshoe formed of cords stretched across a long and narrow frame of light wood. [ Canada ] [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A broad wooden shoe or patten for a man or horse, to enable him to step on marshy or soft ground. [ 1913 Webster ]

Racket court, a court for playing the game of rackets. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gael. racaid a noise, disturbance. ] 1. confused, clattering noise; din; noisy talk or sport. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A carouse; any reckless dissipation. [ Slang ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who makes, or engages in, a racket. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Etymol. uncertain. ] (Mus.) An old wind instrument of the double bassoon kind, having ventages but not keys. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) Any one of several species of humming birds of the genus Steganura, having two of the tail feathers very long and racket-shaped. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Zool.) Having long and spatulate, or racket-shaped, tail feathers. [ 1913 Webster ]