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raffle

noun

  1. type of usually charitable gambling
L41491 on Wikidata ↗

verb

  1. engage in a ticketed gambling competition
L41492 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /ˈɹæfl̩/

noun

Etymology: See raff.

  1. Refuse; rubbish.

verb

Etymology: From Middle English rafle, from Old French rafle, raffle (“dice game", also "plundering”), from rafler (“to snatch, seize, carry off”), from Frankish *raffolōn, from Proto-Germanic *hrapōną, *hrēpōną (“to scratch, touch, pluck out, snatch”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kreb(h)-, *(s)kerb(h)- (“to turn, bend, shrink”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to turn, bend”). Cognate with Middle Dutch raffel (“dice game”), German raffen (“to snatch away, sweep off”), Old English hreppan (“to touch, treat, attack”).

  1. To award something by means of a raffle or random drawing.

    They raffled off four gift baskets.

  2. To participate in a raffle.

    to raffle for a watch