French Conversation · Level 65
60 words
French word
racket
Pronunciation
IPA/ʁakɛt/
Meaning
- masculine nounextortion
Example
La police lutte contre le racket dans notre quartier.
The police are fighting extortion in our neighborhood.
More examples
Un commerçant a reçu un appel de racket téléphonique.
A shopkeeper received a telephone extortion call.
Core concept
An illegal collection operation that turns intimidation into unwanted payment.
Common phrases
racket téléphonique
telephone extortion
racket de rue
street extortion
être victime de racket
be a victim of extortion
Similar words
extorsion: The crime of obtaining money or property by force or threats.
chantage: A demand for money or favorable treatment made by threatening to reveal secrets.
intimidation: The act of frightening someone into submission.
menace: A threat to cause harm or disadvantage to someone.
Definition in French
Acte consistant à extorquer de l'argent à une personne par la menace, la pression ou la violence, souvent dans un but lucratif illicite.
Word origin
The French noun racket is a direct borrowing from English racket, where the criminal meaning developed before entering French.
Usage tips
- French racket and raquette are pronounced alike, but raquette means a sports racket and is spelled differently.
Other meanings
- racketeeringnoun
Related words
- racketterextortverb
- racketteurextortionistnoun