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Definition of racket noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

racket

noun
 
/ˈrækɪt/
 
/ˈrækɪt/
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  1. [singular] (informal) a loud unpleasant noise synonym din
    • Stop making that terrible racket!
    Extra Examples
    • He had to shout over the racket.
    • I heard a racket coming from upstairs.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • deafening
    • frightful
    • infernal
    • …
    verb + racket
    • make
    • hear
    preposition
    • above the racket
    • over the racket
    See full entry
  2. [countable] (informal) a dishonest or illegal way of getting money
    • a protection/extortion/smuggling, etc. racket
    Extra Examples
    • He set up a protection racket and demanded thousands of pounds from local shopkeepers.
    • The gang operated an illegal immigration racket.
    • a racket in stolen goods
    • They believe that he was the victim of a protection racket.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • extortion
    • numbers
    • protection
    • …
    verb + racket
    • operate
    • run
    • be involved in
    • …
    preposition
    • in a/​the racket
    • racket in
    See full entry
  3. (also racquet)
     [countable] a piece of sports equipment used for hitting the ball, etc. in the games of tennis, squash or badminton. It has an oval frame, with strings stretched across and down it.
    • He smashed his racket into the clay
    compare bat
    Extra Examples
    • He was able to get his racket underneath the ball and somehow return it over the net.
    • You should restring your racket twice a year.
    Topics Sports: ball and racket sportsb1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • badminton
    • squash
    • tennis
    • …
    verb + racket
    • swing
    • smash
    racket + noun
    • sports
    • abuse
    See full entry
  4. rackets, racquets
     [uncountable] a game for two or four people, similar to squash, played with rackets and a small hard ball in a court with four walls
    CultureThe game of rackets first became popular in the 18th century in England, and is now played mainly at a few boys' public schools. squash is a similar game that developed from rackets, and is played in a smaller court with a softer ball.
    5. Word Originsenses 3 to 4 early 16th cent.: from French raquette, via Italian from Arabic rāḥa, rāḥat- ‘palm of the hand’.senses 1 to 2 mid 16th cent.: perhaps imitative of clattering.
See racket in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
Check pronunciation: racket

Nearby words

alloy
noun
 
 
From the Topic
Physics and chemistry
C2
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