ragman

American  

[rag-man, -muhn] / ˈrægˌmæn, -mən /

noun

• ragmen
  plural

1. a person who gathers or deals in rag.

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ragman British  

/ ˈræɡˌmæn /

noun

1. another name for rag-and-bone man

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• ragmen
  plural

Etymology

Origin of ragman

First recorded in 1350–1400; rag ¹ + man

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ragman ragmen

One hundred years ago today, Douglas was born Issur Danielovitch, the son of a Moscow-born Russian Jewish ragman, in upstate New York.

From The Guardian ● Dec. 9, 2016

Sandy Alderson, the Mets’ general manager, has proved a fine ragman by picking players off scrap heaps.

From New York Times ● Oct. 4, 2016

“The coal being thrown down the chute for the radiators. The ragman on the street, calling out so we’d throw down old clothes.”

From New York Times ● May 30, 2014

Tactfully he offers to get the fellow a better job; tactfully the ragman refuses.

From Time Magazine Archive

I knew that the items must belong to a ragman, but there was something eerie about the way they were sorted, as though they were pagan offerings.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros

“I’d always see the ragmen, who collected rags for a living,” he said in a 1992 interview with the Times.

From Washington Post ● Dec. 26, 2020

“I’d always see the ragmen, who collected rags for a living,” he said in a 1992 interview with The Times.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 23, 2020

For travellers must carry bags, And swagmen have to hump their swags   Like bottle-ohs or ragmen.

From The Magic Pudding Being the Adventures of Bunyip Bluegum and His Friends Bill Barnacle & Sam Sawnoff by Lindsay, Norman

"I thought so, handsome ragmen," returned the visitor.

From The False Chevalier or, The Lifeguard of Marie Antoinette by Lighthall, W. D. (William Douw)

"Yes, and dirty old beggars and ragmen," said Florence, "and nasty, muddy streets."

From A Sweet Little Maid by Blanchard, Amy Ella