Racketing

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. The act of engaging in noisy disturbance or uproar; the process of extorting money through intimidation or illegal business practices; a loud or clattering sound often associated with chaos
2. Creating a tumultuous noise or uproar; carrying out coercive schemes to obtain money unlawfully; a harsh or resounding sound indicative of disorder
3. Producing loud, disruptive sounds or commotion; participating in criminal enterprises for financial gain; generating a cacophony that disrupts peace or order

Etymology: Noise and swindling share a single word here, and the link between them is still disputed. "Racket" first appears in English in the 1500s, and its origin is uncertain. One candidate is Middle French "rachette" or "requette," meaning "palm of the hand," which may trace back through Arabic "rāḥat al-yad" with the same meaning. Another proposal points to Dutch "raketsen" and Middle French "rachasser," meaning "to strike the ball back," which would tie the word to the bat-and-ball game. A third suggestion treats it as a rearrangement of the dialect word "rattick," meaning "to shake" or "rattle," which would explain the clattering sense. The criminal meaning is much later and has a clear source. It was popularised by Smedley Butler's book "War Is a Racket," in which the retired Marine general argued that military profiteering amounted to organised extortion. From there the word came to describe any scheme that squeezed money out of people through intimidation or illegal dealing.

Synonyms: noising, clamoring, uproaring, racket, din

Antonyms: quiet, silence, calm, peace, hush