maracan.

1598 W. Phillip tr. J. H. van Linschoten Disc. Voy. E. & W. Indies ii. 246/1 They [sc. Brazilian Indians] carrie in their hands certaine dryed goords, which they fil with stones, & hauing a sticke in the ende, they make a noyse therewith..which instrument with them is called Maraca.

1613 S. Purchas Pilgrimes ix. v. 709 I found them singing and dauncing in three seuerall Rings, in the middest of each three or foure Caraibes, adorned with hats and garments of feathers, euery one hauing a Maraca, or Rattle, in both his hands.

1824 H. E. Lloyd tr. J. B. von Spix & C. F. P. von Martius Trav. Brazil II. iv. ii. 226 The Maracá, a longish gourd shell, filled with maize, fastened to a handle, with which in their dancing, they make a rattling as with castanets.

1928 Vanity Fair (N.Y.) Nov. 72 A fashionable evening event along the Havana water-front is a concert by black boys with their primitive African instruments, the bongo, timbales, guiro, maracas, and claves.

1933 Punch 4 Jan. 6/3 It [sc. the rumba] may be recognised by a number of taps produced in rapid succession... They are made by a couple of maraccas in the orchestra... Maraccas..are the dried husks of the calabash fruit.

1954 J. Steinbeck Sweet Thursday ii. 16 An orchestra took shape—two guitars, a guitarón, rhythm and maraca men.

1972 Jazz & Blues Sept. 5/1 The almost African rhythms with much maracca shaking.

1995 M. Amis Information (1996) 481 He shook his glass like a maraca at the waiter.

1940 J. O'Hara Pal Joey 180 Gams and a pair of maracas that will haunt me in my dreams.

1961 T. I. Rubin In the Life 62 Knockers, maracas, boobies. Let's face it, Doc: I got a good shape.

1978 T. Sanchez Zoot-Suit 176 A pair of maracas no bigger than pigeon's eggs!

1997 Toronto Star (Nexis) 11 Aug. a7 Women's breasts are not sexual appendages and any lustful feelings thus aroused in the heaving male breast as a result of unexpectedly viewing a woman's unsheathed maracas are essentially a culturally based guy-thing.