raffle

¹ American  

[raf-uhl] / ˈræf əl /

noun

1. a form of lottery in which a number of persons buy one or more chances to win a prize.

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verb (used with object)

raffles, present (3rd person singular) raffled, past participle, past raffling present participle

1. to dispose of by a raffle (often followed byoff ).

   to raffle off a watch.

verb (used without object)

raffles, present (3rd person singular) raffled, past participle, past raffling present participle

1. to take part in a raffle.

raffle ² American  

[raf-uhl] / ˈræf əl /

noun

1. rubbish.

2. Nautical. a tangle, as of ropes, canvas, etc.

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raffle British  

/ ˈræfəl /

noun

1. 1. a lottery in which the prizes are goods rather than money

   2. ( as modifier )

      a raffle ticket

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verb

1. to dispose of (goods) in a raffle

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unraffled
  adjective
• raffler
  noun

Conjugated Forms

Present

• have raffled
  perfect
• has raffled
  perfect 3rd person singular
• are raffling
  progressive
• have been raffling
  perfect progressive
• am raffling
  progressive 1st person singular
• has been raffling
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• raffles
  singular 3rd person
• is raffling
  progressive 3rd person singular
• raffling
  participle

Past

• had raffled
  perfect
• were raffling
  progressive plural
• had been raffling
  perfect progressive
• raffled
  participle
• was raffling
  progressive singular
• raffled
  simple

Future

• will raffle
  simple
• will have raffled
  perfect
• will have been raffling
  perfect progressive
• will be raffling
  progressive

Etymology

Origin of raffle¹

1350–1400; Middle English rafle dice game < Middle French, derivative of rafler to snatch; cf. raff

Origin of raffle²

First recorded in 1790–1800; raff + -le

Explanation

A raffle is a type of contest in which you buy a ticket for a chance to win a prize. After the tickets are sold, a drawing determines which ticket holds the winning number. People raffle off everything from fruit baskets to cars. You might enter a raffle at a school gathering, a fair, or another event. The proceeds from selling raffle tickets often go toward a good cause, like a charity. When a group holds a raffle, you can also say that they raffle the prizes off — your French club might raffle off a bicycle to raise money for your trip to Montreal, for example. A raffle was originally "a dice game."

Related Words

• betting
• game of chance
• sweepstake