- rag
- rag1 [ræg] n▬▬▬▬▬▬▬1¦(cloth)¦2¦(newspaper)¦3 in rags4 from rags to riches5¦(music)¦6¦(students' event)¦▬▬▬▬▬▬▬[Sense: 1-4,6; Date: 1300-1400; : Old Norse; Origin: rögg 'rough hairiness'][Sense: 5; Date: 1800-1900; Origin: ragtime]1.) ¦(CLOTH)¦ [U and C]a small piece of old cloth, for example one used for cleaning things▪ He wiped his boots dry with an old rag.▪ an oily rag2.) ¦(NEWSPAPER)¦ informala newspaper, especially one that you think is not particularly important or of good quality▪ He writes for the local rag .3.) in ragswearing old torn clothes▪ Children in rags begged money from the tourists.4.) from rags to richesbecoming very rich after starting your life very poor▪ He likes to tell people of his rise from rags to riches.5.) ¦(MUSIC)¦a piece of ↑ragtime music6.) ¦(STUDENTS' EVENT)¦ BrEan event organized by students every year in order to make money for people who are poor, sick etc▪ rag weekrag 2rag2 past tense and past participle ragged present participle raggingv [T][Date: 1700-1800; Origin: Origin unknown]BrE old-fashioned to laugh at someone or play tricks on them= ↑tease
Dictionary of contemporary English. 2013.