rag
pronunciation
How to pronounce rag in British English:
UK [ræɡ]
How to pronounce rag in American English:
US [ræɡ]
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- Noun:
- a small piece of cloth or paper
- a week at British universities during which side-shows and processions of floats are organized to raise money for charities
- music with a syncopated melody (usually for the piano)
- newspaper with half-size pages
- a boisterous practical joke (especially by college students)
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- Verb:
- treat cruelly
- cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations
- play in ragtime
- harass with persistent criticism or carping
- censure severely or angrily
- break into lumps before sorting
Word Origin
- rag
- rag: English has four separate words rag, none of them with very well-documented histories. The origins of the oldest, ‘rough building stone’ [13], are completely unknown. Rag ‘piece of cloth’ [14] is probably a back-formation from ragged [13], which was adapted from Old Norse roggvathr ‘tufted’. This in turn was derived from rogg ‘tuft of fur’, but no one knows where that came from. Rag ‘taunt, piece of fun’ [18] is completely mysterious, although some connection with Danish dialect rag ‘grudge’ has been suggested. And finally rag ‘syncopated jazz’ [19] is short for ragtime, which is probably an alteration of ragged time.
- rag (n.)
- 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. In any case, from Proto-Germanic *rawwa-, from PIE root *reue- (2) "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.
- rag (v.)
- "scold," 1739, of unknown origin; perhaps related to Danish dialectal rag "grudge." Related: Ragged; ragging. Compare bullyrag, ballarag "intimidate" (1807).
Example
- 1. Sometimes all it takes is a wipe with a damp rag .
- 2. When the word rug first appeared in english it was closer to rag in meaning .
- 3. He grows much of his own food , wears a winter coat until it is ready for the rag heap and buys niceties only when his wife 's nagging becomes intolerable .
- 4. The intruder broughthis tools with him . Duct tape . A rag soaked in chloroform . A collection of surgical instruments .
- 5. Tempe , ariz. - mark cooper started his work day on a recent morning cleaning the door handles of an office building with a rag , vigorously shaking out a rug at a back entrance and pushing a dust mop down a long hallway .