rag

¹ American  

[rag] / ræg /

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.

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idioms

1. chew the rag. chew.

2. from rags to riches, from extreme poverty to great wealth.

   He went from rags to riches in only three years.

rag ² American  

[rag] / ræg /

verb (used without object)

ragged, ragging

1. to subject a person to teasing or scolding, especially in an intense or prolonged way (usually followed byon ).

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

2. to criticize a person or thing (usually followed byon ): 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.

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verb (used with object)

ragged, ragging

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. to criticize.

3. 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 American  

[rag] / ræg /

verb (used with object)

ragged, ragging

1. to break up (lumps of ore) for sorting.

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rag ⁴ American  

[rag] / ræg /

noun

1. a musical composition in ragtime.

   a piano rag.

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verb (used with object)

ragged, ragging

1. to play (music) in ragtime.

rag ¹ British  

/ ræɡ /

noun

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

   2. ( as modifier )

      a rag doll

      a rag book

      rag paper

2. a fragmentary piece of any material; scrap; shred

3. informal a newspaper or other journal, esp one considered as worthless, sensational, etc

4. informal an item of clothing

5. informal a handkerchief

6. slang nautical a flag or ensign

7. to lose one's temper suddenly

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rag ² British  

/ 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

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noun

1. a boisterous practical joke, esp one on a fellow student

2. 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

rag ³ British  

/ ræɡ /

noun

1. a piece of ragtime music

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verb

1. (tr) to compose or perform in ragtime

rag ⁴ British  

/ ræɡ /

noun

1. a roofing slate that is rough on one side

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rag More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing rag

• chew the fat (rag)
• from rags to riches
• glad rags
• run ragged

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Etymology

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

Example Sentences

Her basket hat started well, but about a third of the way in, she got cancer “and her stitches became more and more ragged. She had trouble concentrating, trouble preparing materials,” Hammel-Sawyer said.

From Los Angeles Times

That was like a "red rag to a bull" he said, and he went on to get a degree in animal nutrition and to set up a farm in Bedfordshire.

From BBC

The word “empathy” gets thrown around like a rag doll.

From The Wall Street Journal

There were times when the bowling was ragged and part-time off-spinner Will Jacks struggled to contain.

From BBC

I thought he was excellent on the day and Spurs couldn't live with him - he ran them ragged.

From BBC

Related Words

• needle