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rag - What does it mean?

Definition of 'rag'

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) . Cognate with Swedish ragg.

Noun

(en-noun)
  • (in the plural) Tattered clothes.
  • * (and other bibliographic particulars) (Dryden)
  • Virtue, though in rags , will keep me warm.
  • A piece of old cloth; a tattered piece of cloth; a shred, a tatter.
  • * (and other bibliographic particulars) (Milton)
  • Cowls, hoods, and habits, with their wearers, tossed, / And fluttered into rags .
  • * (and other bibliographic particulars) (Fuller)
  • Not having otherwise any rag of legality to cover the shame of their cruelty.
  • A shabby, beggarly fellow; a ragamuffin.
  • * (and other bibliographic particulars) (Ben Jonson)
  • The other zealous rag is the compositor.
  • * (and other bibliographic particulars) (Spenser)
  • Upon the proclamation, they all came in, both tag and rag .
  • A ragged edge in metalworking.
  • (nautical|slang) A sail, or any piece of canvas.
  • * (and other bibliographic particulars) (Lowell)
  • Our ship was a clipper with every rag set.
  • (slang|pejorative) A newspaper, magazine.
  • (rfc-sense) (poker slang) A card that appears to help no one.
  • (rfc-sense) (poker slang) A low card.
  • Derived terms
    * on the rag * lose one's rag (rel-mid3) * ragwort (rel-mid3) * smell of an oily rag (rel-bottom)

    Verb

    (ragg)
  • To become tattered.
  • (Webster 1913)

    Etymology 2

    origin; perhaps the same word as Etymology 1, above.

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • A coarse kind of rock, somewhat cellular in texture; ragstone.
  • * 2003 , (Peter Ackroyd), The Clerkenwell Tales , page 1:
  • the three walls around the garden, each one of thirty-three feet, were built out of three layers of stone — pebble stone, flint and rag stone.

    Verb

    (ragg)
  • To break (ore) into lumps for sorting.
  • To cut or dress roughly, as a grindstone.
  • Etymology 3

    Origin uncertain.

    Verb

    (ragg)
  • To scold or rail at; to rate; to tease; to torment; to banter.
  • To drive a car or another vehicle in a hard, fast or unsympathetic manner.
  • To tease or torment, especially at a university; to bully, to haze.
  • Derived terms
    * rag the puck * rag on

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • (dated) A prank or practical joke.
  • (UK|Ireland) A society run by university students for the purpose of charitable fundraising.
  • Derived terms

    * rag day * rag week

    Etymology 4

    Perhaps from (ragged). Compare later (ragtime).

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • (obsolete|US) An informal dance party featuring music played by African-American string bands.
  • A ragtime song, dance or piece of music.
  • Anagrams

    *

    References

    * Weisenberg, Michael (2000) The Official Dictionary of Poker. MGI/Mike Caro University. ISBN 978-1880069523 ----

    Similar to 'rag'

    reg, rig, rog, rug