rag

[rag]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR rag ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a worthless piece of cloth, especially one that is torn or worn.

rags, ragged or tattered clothing: The tramp was dressed in rags.

any article of apparel regarded deprecatingly or self-deprecatingly, especially a dress: It's just an old rag I had in the closet.

a shred, scrap, or fragmentary bit of anything.

Informal.

something of very low value or in very poor condition.
a newspaper or magazine regarded with contempt or distaste: Are you still subscribing to that rag?

a person of shabby or exhausted appearance.

a large roofing slate that has one edge untrimmed.

Idioms

chew the rag. chew(def 11).

from rags to riches, from extreme poverty to great wealth: He went from rags to riches in only three years.

Origin of rag

1275–1325; Middle English ragge < Scandinavian; compare Norwegian, Swedish ragg coarse hair < Old Norse rǫgg

rag

[rag]Informal.

verb (used with object), ragged, rag·ging.

to scold.

to subject to a teasing, especially in an intense or prolonged way (often followed by on): Some of the boys were ragging on him about his haircut.

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

noun

British. an act of ragging.

Origin of rag

First recorded in 1790–1800; origin uncertain

rag

[rag]

verb (used with object), ragged, rag·ging.

to break up (lumps of ore) for sorting.

Origin of rag

First recorded in 1870–75; origin uncertain

rag

⁴

[rag]

noun

a musical composition in ragtime: a piano rag.

verb (used with object), ragged, rag·ging.

to play (music) in ragtime.

Origin of rag

⁴

First recorded in 1895–1900; shortened form of ragtime

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for rag

Contemporary Examples of rag

Then Ziegler tosses the buff LaBeouf around like a rag doll.
Sia and Shia LaBeouf’s Pedophilia Nontroversy Over ‘Elastic Heart’
Marlow Stern
January 9, 2015
He stuck the barrel of the gun out his window and started wiping it down with a rag.
A Shooting on a Tribal Land Uncovers Feds Running Wild
Caitlin Dickson
August 26, 2014
Urban children kick a can on concrete and rural kids kick a rag wrapped around a rag wrapped around a rag, barefoot, on dirt.
Why Americans Should Love the World Cup
Sean Wilsey
June 12, 2014
That Westbrook would be sitting front row at the Rag Bone and Altuzarra shows during New York Fashion Week?
NBA Style: Full-Court Dress
Erin Cunningham
May 11, 2014
The next photo: 389 stands holding hands with a man slightly out of frame—a giant of a man—whose eyes are blindfolded with a rag.
Khmer Rouge’s Bloodiest Murderers on Trial
Michael Moynihan
October 20, 2013

Historical Examples of rag

We set it, double-reefed, which made it but a rag of a sail, and yet the ship felt it directly.
Ned Myers
James Fenimore Cooper
Every rag of raiment that man has on he stole from my husband's wardrobe at the Hall.
In the Valley
Harold Frederic
You'll feel like a rag by to-morrow, and then I hope you'll take a good rest.
The Harbor
Ernest Poole
Dra—— the owld man, but he'll have every rag off the back of me!
The Macdermots of Ballycloran
Anthony Trollope
"I suppose that depends on your definition of fame—and of a rag," Eric answered.
The Education of Eric Lane
Stephen McKenna

British Dictionary definitions for rag

rag

noun

a small piece of cloth, such as one torn from a discarded garment, or such pieces of cloth collectively
(as modifier)a rag doll; a rag book; rag paper

a fragmentary piece of any material; scrap; shred

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

informal an item of clothing

informal a handkerchief

British slang esp nautical a flag or ensign

lose one's rag to lose one's temper suddenly

Word Origin for rag

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

rag

verb rags, ragging or ragged (tr)

to draw attention facetiously and persistently to the shortcomings or alleged shortcomings of (a person)

British to play rough practical jokes on

noun

British a boisterous practical joke, esp one on a fellow student

(in British universities)

a period, usually a week, in which various events are organized to raise money for charity, including a procession of decorated floats and tableaux
(as modifier)rag day

Word Origin for rag

C18: of uncertain origin

rag

noun

a piece of ragtime music

verb rags, ragging or ragged

(tr) to compose or perform in ragtime

Word Origin for rag

C20: shortened from ragtime

rag

⁴

noun

a roofing slate that is rough on one side

Word Origin for rag

C13: of obscure origin

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

Word Origin and History for rag

scrap of cloth, early 14c., probably from Old Norse rögg "shaggy tuft," earlier raggw-, or possibly from Old Danish rag (see rug), or a back-formation from ragged, It also may represent an unrecorded Old English cognate of Old Norse rögg. Watkins traces the Old Norse word through Proto-Germanic *rawwa-, from PIE root *reue- "to smash, knock down, tear up, uproot" (see rough (adj.)).

As an insulting term for "newspaper, magazine" it dates from 1734; slang for "tampon, sanitary napkin" is attested from 1930s (on the rag "menstruating" is from 1948). Rags "personal clothing" is from 1855 (singular), American English. Rags-to-riches "rise from poverty to wealth" is attested by 1896. Rag-picker is from 1860; rag-shop from 1829.

"scold," 1739, of unknown origin; perhaps related to Danish dialectal rag "grudge." Related: Ragged; ragging. Cf. bullyrag, ballarag "intimidate" (1807).

Idioms and Phrases with rag

rag

In addition to the idiom beginning with rag

rag doll

also see:

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

rag

noun

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Idioms

Origin of rag

rag

verb (used with object), ragged, rag·ging.

noun

Origin of rag

rag

verb (used with object), ragged, rag·ging.

Origin of rag

rag

noun

verb (used with object), ragged, rag·ging.

Origin of rag

Examples from the Web for rag

Contemporary Examples of rag

Historical Examples of rag

rag

noun

Word Origin for rag

rag

verb rags, ragging or ragged (tr)

noun

Word Origin for rag

rag

noun

verb rags, ragging or ragged

Word Origin for rag

rag

noun

Word Origin for rag

rag