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Webster 1913 Edition

Raffle

Raf′fle

(răf′f’l)
,
Noun.
[F.
rafle
;
faire rafle
to sweep stakes, fr.
rafler
to carry or sweep away,
rafler tout
to sweep stakes; of German origin; cf. G.
raffeln
to snatch up, to rake. See
Raff
,
Verb.
]
1.
A kind of lottery, in which several persons pay, in shares, the value of something put up as a stake, and then determine by chance (as by casting dice) which one of them shall become the sole possessor.
2.
A game of dice in which he who threw three alike won all the stakes.
[Obs.]
Cotgrave.

Raf′fle

,
Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Raffled
(răf′f’ld)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Raffling
(răf′flĭng)
.]
To engage in a raffle;
as, to
raffle
for a watch
.

Raf′fle

,
Verb.
T.
To dispose of by means of a raffle; – often followed by off;
as, to
raffle
off a horse
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Raffle

RAF'FLE

,
Verb.
I.
[Heb. to strive. See Raff.]
To cast dice for a prize, for which each person concerned in the game lays down a stake, or hazards a part of the value; as, to raffle for a watch.

RAF'FLE

,
Noun.
A game of chance, or lottery in which several persons deposit a part of the value of the thing, in consideration of the chance of gaining it. The successful thrower of the dice takes or sweeps the whole.

Definition 2025

raffle

raffle

English

Noun

raffle ‎(plural raffles)

  1. A drawing, often held as a fundraiser, in which tickets or chances are sold to win a prize.
    He entered a raffle to win a lifetime supply of toothpaste, but he did not win.
  2. (obsolete) A game of dice in which the player who throws three of the same number wins all the stakes.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Cotgrave to this entry?)
Derived terms
Translations

Verb

raffle ‎(third-person singular simple present raffles, present participle raffling, simple past and past participle raffled)

  1. (transitive) To award something by means of a raffle or random drawing, often used with off.
    They raffled off four gift baskets.
  2. (intransitive) To participate in a raffle.
    to raffle for a watch
Translations

Etymology 2

See raff.

Noun

raffle ‎(uncountable)

  1. refuse; rubbish

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”).

Pronunciation

  • Rhymes: -æfəl

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