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rag1
/rag/, n.1. a worthless piece of cloth, esp. 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, esp. a dress: It's just an old rag I had in the closet.4. a shred, scrap, or fragmentary bit of anything.5. Informal.a. something of very low value or in very poor condition.b. 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.9. from rags to riches, from extreme poverty to great wealth: He went from rags to riches in only three years.[1275-1325; ME ragge < Scand; cf. Norw, Sw ragg coarse hair < ON rogg]rag2v.t.1. to scold.2. to subject to a teasing, esp. in an intense or prolonged way (often fol. by on): Some of the boys were ragging on him about his haircut.3. Brit. to torment with jokes; play crude practical jokes on.n.4. Brit. an act of ragging.[1790-1800; orig. uncert.]rag3to break up (lumps of ore) for sorting.[1870-75; orig. uncert.]rag4n.1. a musical composition in ragtime: a piano rag.v.t.2. to play (music) in ragtime.[1895-1900; shortened form of RAGTIME]
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Universalium. 2010.