sweepstake
sweepstake
UK[ˈswiːpsteɪk]US[ˈswiːpsteɪk]
n
a form of gambling, especially on horse races, in which all the money staked by the participants is divided among the winners.
n
a lottery in which the prize consists of the money paid by the participants.
Morpheme Breakdown
sweep
stake
sweep
to clear or carry away
stake
Etymology
the term 'sweepstake' originated in the context of horse racing in the late 18th century. it literally combines the notion of 'sweeping' or taking all the winnings with the concept of a 'stake' or wager. the logic is that the winner would 'sweep' the table, taking the entire pool of stakes contributed by all entrants. this vivid imagery of clearing away the prizes evolved from its literal racing origins to describe any lottery or contest where the prize fund is composed of the participants' contributions.
Analysis
Structure: sweep + stake
sweep (from middle english 'swepen', of germanic origin, meaning 'to clear or carry away'); stake (from old english 'staca', meaning 'a post' or 'something placed at hazard, a wager').
Examples
he won a large sum of money in the charity sweepstake.
the office organized a sweepstake for the national championship game.
entering the sweepstake required buying a ticket and predicting the winning horse.