sb., a., adv. [Orig. two words, both tag and rag: cf. TAG sb.1 10 b; at length taken as expressing one notion, and hyphened or written as one word, tag-rag, tagrag.]
A. sb. The rabble, the riff-raff; also (with pl.) a member of the rabble; a low or despicable person. Now rare exc. as in D.
1609. Eburne, Maintenance Ministerie, 173. Then the ministerie was filled vp with Tag, rag, such as the time would yeeld.
1638. Ford, Lady’s Trial, II. i. Tag, rag, or other, hogen-mogen vanden, Skip-jacks or chouses.
1650. A. B., Mutat. Polemo, 15. A company of lamentable Tag-rags … going under the names of Colonels, Majors, and Captains.
1706. E. Ward, Wooden World Diss. (1708), 85. If ever he prays, it’s … to some Tag-Rag, to fetch him a little Ship-Beer.
1826. Moore, Canonization of St. B-tt-rw-rth, xi. Call quickly together the whole tribe of Canters, Convoke all the serious Tag-rag of the nation.
b. With reference to TAG sb.1, senses 9 and 1, and RAG: A ragged tag or appendage.
1827. Carlyle, Richter, in Misc. Ess. (1872), I. 11. No story proceeds without the most erratic digressions and voluminous tagrags rolling after it. Ibid. (1831), Sart. Res., I. iv. Sentences … buttressed up by props (of parentheses and dashes), and ever with this or the other tagrag hanging from them.
1885. Lang, Custom & Myth, 18. A rude imitation of the human shape … dressed in some tag-rags of finery.
B. adj. † a. Of or belonging to the rabble. Obs.
b. Consisting of tags and rags of dress, etc.; dressed in rags, ragged.
1601. Shaks., Jul. C., I. i. 260. If the tag-ragge people did not clap him, and hisse him,… I am no true man.
1675. Cotton, Scoffer Scoft, 90. Tag-rag Plebeans.
1805. W. Taylor, in Ann. Rev., II. 303. Clad in the tagrag garb of democracy.
1897. Daily News, 1 Nov., 6/3. Love for his dear, tag-rag, genial, happy-go-lucky green isle!
† C. adv. (for tag and rag.) All to tags and rags; also, pell-mell; one and all; in a mingled crowd or heap, promiscuously. Obs.
1582. Stanyhurst, Æneis, I. (Arb.), 21. Thee northen bluster aproching Thee sayls tears tag rag, to the sky thee waues vphoysing.
1610. B. Jonson, Alch., V. ii. Men and women, And of all sorts, tag-rag, [have] beene seene to flock here.
1737. Ozell, Urquhart’s Rabelais, I. iv. I. 150. After Dinner they all went tag-rag together to the willow-grove.
D. Tag, rag, and bobtail [orig, an extension of tag and rag (TAG sb.1 10 b): see also BOBTAIL. Now sometimes tagrag and bobtail.] A contemptuous term for a number of persons of various sorts and conditions, all and sundry, especially of the lower classes.
1645. Just Defence John Bastwick, 16. That rabble rout tag ragge and bobtaile.
1660. Pepys, Diary, 6 March. They all went down into the dining-room, where it was full of tag, rag, and bobtail, dancing, singing, and drinking.
1692. L’Estrange, Fables, clxxxv. (1714), 198. Jupiter Invited all Living Creatures, Tag, Rag, and Bobtail, to the Solemnity of the Wedding.
1728. Byrom, Jrnl. & Lit. Rem. (1856), I. I. 287. Here’s thy good health … and all thy little tag, rag, and bobtails.
1785. Wolcott (P. Pindar), Odes to R.A.’s, II. 1. Tagrags and Bobtails of the sacred Brush.
1840. Dickens, Barn. Rudge, xxxv. ‘We don’t take in no tagrag and bobtail at our house, sir,’ answered John.
1883. Ld. R. Gower, My Remin., I. xiii. 251. The mounted police charged the crowd … and our party had to fly before them along with tag, rag, and bob-tail.
b. attrib.
1730[?]. Royal Remarks, 53. The Dramatis Personæ,… a Tag-Rag and Bob Tail Crew.
1849. Thackeray, Pendennis, vii. (1885), 71. Fancy … your house filled with her confounded tag-rag-and-bobtail relations!
1890. Guardian, 15 Oct., 1597/1. Inspectors belonging to ‘the tag-rag and bobtail class.’
Hence tag, rag, and bobtailry; and variations tag, rag, and long-tail; tag, rag, and rascality.
1701. New Jersey Arch. (1881), II. 414. At ye disposall of ye tag, rag, and Rascality.
1719. D’Urfey, Pills, IV. 113. To make a Match with Tag-rag, and Long-tail.
1858. F. E. Paget, Curate Cumberworth (1859), 248. A tag, rag, and bobtailry … gathered together … for electioneering purposes.
