Advertisement

View synonyms for rag

rag

1

[ rag ]

noun

  1. a worthless piece of cloth, especially one that is torn or worn.
  2. rags, ragged or tattered clothing:

    The tramp was dressed in rags.

  3. any article of apparel regarded deprecatingly or self-deprecatingly, especially a dress:

    It's just an old rag I had in the closet.

  4. a shred, scrap, or fragmentary bit of anything.
  5. Informal.
    1. something of very low value or in very poor condition.
    2. a newspaper or magazine regarded with contempt or distaste:

      Are you still subscribing to that rag?

  6. a person of shabby or exhausted appearance.
  7. a large roofing slate that has one edge untrimmed.


rag

2

[ rag ]

verb (used without object)

, ragged, rag·ging.
  1. to subject a person to teasing or scolding, especially in an intense or prolonged way (usually followed by on ):

    Some of the boys were ragging on him about his haircut.

  2. to criticize a person or thing (usually followed by on ): I wish reviewers would stop ragging on the movie.

    He rags and whines to me instead of fixing the problem.

    I wish reviewers would stop ragging on the movie.

verb (used with object)

, ragged, rag·ging.
  1. to subject to teasing or scolding, especially in an intense or prolonged way:

    He was ragged at school for not joining a sports team.

  2. British. to torment with jokes; play crude practical jokes on.

noun

  1. British. an act of ragging; a cruel or crude practical joke.

rag

3

[ rag ]

verb (used with object)

, ragged, rag·ging.
  1. to break up (lumps of ore) for sorting.

rag

4

[ rag ]

noun

  1. a musical composition in ragtime:

    a piano rag.

verb (used with object)

, ragged, rag·ging.
  1. to play (music) in ragtime.

rag

1

/ ræɡ /

noun

  1. a roofing slate that is rough on one side
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


rag

2

/ ræɡ /

verb

  1. to draw attention facetiously and persistently to the shortcomings or alleged shortcomings of (a person)
  2. to play rough practical jokes on
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a boisterous practical joke, esp one on a fellow student
  2. in British universities
    1. a period, usually a week, in which various events are organized to raise money for charity, including a procession of decorated floats and tableaux
    2. ( as modifier )

      rag day

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

rag

3

/ ræɡ /

noun

  1. a piece of ragtime music
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. tr to compose or perform in ragtime
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

rag

4

/ ræɡ /

noun

    1. a small piece of cloth, such as one torn from a discarded garment, or such pieces of cloth collectively
    2. ( as modifier )

      rag paper

      a rag book

      a rag doll

  1. a fragmentary piece of any material; scrap; shred
  2. informal.
    a newspaper or other journal, esp one considered as worthless, sensational, etc
  3. informal.
    an item of clothing
  4. informal.
    a handkerchief
  5. slang.
    nautical a flag or ensign
  6. lose one's rag
    to lose one's temper suddenly
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of rag1

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English ragge, from Scandinavian; compare Norwegian, Swedish ragg “coarse hair,” from Old Norse rǫgg

Origin of rag2

First recorded in 1735–40; origin uncertain

Origin of rag3

First recorded in 1870–75; origin uncertain

Origin of rag4

First recorded in 1895–1900; shortened form of ragtime
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of rag1

C13: of obscure origin

Origin of rag2

C18: of uncertain origin

Origin of rag3

C20: shortened from ragtime

Origin of rag4

C14: probably back formation from ragged , from Old English raggig ; related to Old Norse rögg tuft
Discover More

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. from rags to riches, from extreme poverty to great wealth:

    He went from rags to riches in only three years.

  2. chew the rag. chew ( def 11 ).

More idioms and phrases containing rag

In addition to the idiom beginning with rag , also see chew the fat (rag) ; from rags to riches ; glad rags ; run ragged .
Discover More

Example Sentences

Then Ziegler tosses the buff LaBeouf around like a rag doll.

Plus the notion of the poor little guy surrounded by a rag-tag pack of true believers is an American favorite.

He stuck the barrel of the gun out his window and started wiping it down with a rag.

In 1992, she was spotted by Sassy magazine, and became a model/intern for the fashion rag.

You should be so proud of yourself working for an illegitimate rag like the Daily Beast.

The early pump had rag balls, in keeping with the mechanical ignorance of the time, and suitable to man's power.

The large size of the rag-wheel gave the rapidly revolving chain and balls a great speed.

Strain the mixture through a linen rag several times; adding, at the last operation, two ounces of bear's grease.

Away off the bed, over the bright rag carpet, and past the red fire, safely and swiftly they trotted.

It is a common practice in erecting buildings with a facing of Kentish rag rubble to back up the stonework with bricks.

Advertisement

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


RAFVRraga