Word Origin & History

racket "loud noise," 1565, said to be imitative. Meaning "dishonest activity" (1785) is perhaps from racquet, via notion of "game," reinforced by rack-rent "extortionate rent" (1591), from rack (1). Racketeer (v. and n.) first recorded 1928.

Dictionary:

rack·et   [rak-it] Show IPA –noun

1. a loud noise or clamor, esp. of a disturbing or confusing kind; din; uproar: The traffic made a terrible racket in the street below.

2. social excitement, gaiety, or dissipation.

3.an organized illegal activity, such as bootlegging or the extortion of money from legitimate business people by threat or violence.

4.a dishonest scheme, trick, business, activity, etc.: the latest weight-reducing racket.

5.Usually, the rackets. organized illegal activities: Some say that the revenue from legalized gambling supports the rackets.

6. Slang. a.an occupation, livelihood, or business. b.an easy or profitable source of livelihood.

–verb (used without object)

7. to make a racket or noise.