rag meaning

Noun: rag  rag

1. A small piece of cloth or paper
   - shred, tag, tag end, tatter 
2. [Brit] A week at British universities during which side-shows and processions of floats are organized to raise money for charities
   - rag week [Brit] 
3. Music with a syncopated melody (usually for the piano)
   - ragtime 
4. Newspaper with half-size pages
   - tabloid, sheet 
5. [Brit] A boisterous practical joke (especially by college students)

Verb: rag (ragged,ragging)  rag

1. Treat cruelly
   - torment, bedevil, crucify, dun, frustrate 
2. Cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations
   - annoy, get to, bother, get at, irritate, rile, nark [Brit], nettle, gravel [US], vex, chafe, devil 
3. Play in ragtime
   "rag that old tune" 
4. Harass with persistent criticism or carping
   - tease, razz [N. Amer], cod, tantalize, tantalise [Brit], bait, taunt, twit, rally, ride 
5. Censure severely or angrily
   "The deputy ragged the Prime Minister"
   - call on the carpet [US], take to task, rebuke, trounce, reproof, lecture, reprimand, jaw, dress down, call down, scold, chide, berate, bawl out, remonstrate, chew out, chew up, have words, lambaste, lambast, ream [N. Amer] 
6. Break into lumps before sorting
   "rag ore"

Derived forms: rags, ragged, ragging

Type of: bemock, beset, break up, chevvy [non-standard], chevy, chivvy, chivy, criticise [Brit], criticize, dance music, displease, fragment, fragmentise [Brit], fragmentize, harass, harry, hassle, hebdomad, knock, mock, molest, newspaper, paper, pick apart, piece of cloth, piece of material, plague, play, practical joke, provoke, spiel, week

Encyclopedia: Rag Rag, Tag and Bobtail

[American slang]
n. a newspaper.
• I'm tired of reading this rag day after day. Can't we get a different paper?
• What a rag! It's only good for putting in the bottom of birdcages!

[British slang]
Verb. 1. To tease, annoy, torment. E.g."She's been ragging me about my stupid mistake all day.”
2. Of vehicles or machinery, to push to the limits of use, to abuse. E.g."I got a speeding ticket yesterday when I was stopped for ragging my beaten up old Fiat at 120.”
Noun: A newspaper.

[Architecture]

A large roofing slate that has one edge untrimmed.

Examples

More:   Next

1. he wore his glad rags for the party.
2. the two ladies began to chew the rag.
3. again the crimson flags and rags erupted.
4. it was like a rag to a bull.
5. they spurned the worthless rags.