Rag

subs. (old).—Generic: (1) in pl. = clothes, old or new; whence (2), in sing. = a tatterdemalion, a ragamuffin, anyone despicable and despised; and (3) anything made out of textile stuff (as a handkerchief, shirt, undergrad’s gown, newspaper, and exercise- [or examination-] paper). Hence TAG- (or SHAG-) RAG-AND-BOBTAIL (or FAG END) = one and all, the common people (GROSE, 1785); TAG-RAG = tattered, villainous, poor, disreputable; RAG-MANNERED = violently vulgar; RAGGERY = duds, esp. women’s: Fr. chiffons; RAG-BAG (or RAG-DOLL) = a slattern; RAG-TRADE = (1) tailoring, (2) dressmaking, and (3) the dry-goods trade in general; RAG-STABBER = a tailor, a SNIP (q.v.); RAG-TACKER = (1) a dressmaker, and (2) a coach-trimmer; RAG-SOOKER (or SEEKER) = see quot. 1878; RAGS-AND-JAGS = tatters; TO HAVE TWO SHIRTS AND A RAG = to be comfortably off (RAY, 1760); TO TIP ONE’S RAGS A GALLOP = to move, depart, get out; TO GET ONE’S RAG (or SHIRT) OUT = (1) to bluster, and (2) to get angry; TO RAG OUT = (1) to dress, to CLOBBER UP (q.v.); and (2) to show the WHITE RAG: see WHITE FEATHER.

  1535.  SIR FRANCIS BYGOD, ‘Against Impropriations’ [T. L. KINGTON-OLIPHANT, The New English, i. 481. Bygod has ‘your fathers were wyse, both TAGGE AND RAG’; that is one and all].

  1542.  UDALL, The Apophthegmes of Erasmus [T. L. KINGTON-OLIPHANT, The New English, i. 484. Phrases like … not a RAG to hang about him …].

  1582.  STANYHURST, Æneis [ARBER], 21.

  1597.  SHAKESPEARE, Richard III., v. 3.

  1597.  HEYWOOD, Timon [Five Plays in One, p. 10]. I am not of the RAGGS or FAGG END of the people.

  1623.  JONSON, Time Vindicated. The other zealous RAGG is the compositor.

  1659–60.  PEPYS, Diary, 6 March. The dining-room was full of TAG-RAG-AND-BOBTAIL, dancing, singing, and drinking.

  1698.  COLLIER, A Short View of the Immorality and Profaneness of the English Stage, 220. This young Lady Swears, talks Smut, and is upon the Matter just as RAG-MANNER’D as Mary the Buxome.

  16[?].  Nursery Rhyme.

  1706.  WARD, The Wooden World Dissected, 73. While he has a RAG to his Arse, he scorns to make use of a Napkin.

  1708–10.  SWIFT, Polite Conversation, i. Lady Answ. Pray, is he not rich? Ld. Sparkish. Ay, a rich Rogue, TWO SHIRTS AND A RAG.

  1749.  SMOLLETT, Gil Blas [ROUTLEDGE], 166. A sorry RAG of a cassock. Ibid., 173. A band of robbers … left us not a RAG but what we carry on our backs.

  1785.  WOLCOT (‘Peter Pindar’), Ode to R. A.’s, ii., Wks. (1812), I. 80. TAGRAGS AND BOBTAILS of the sacred Brush.

  1800.  P. COLQUHOUN, Commerce of the Thames, ii. 75. That lowest class of the community who are vulgarly denominated THE TAG RAG AND BOBTAIL.

  1819.  T. MOORE, Tom Crib’s Memorial to Congress, 27.

  c. 1819.  Old Song, ‘The Young Prig’ [FARMER, Musa Pedestris (1896). 82]. Frisk the cly, and fork the RAG.

  1820.  BYRON, The Blues, ii. 23. The RAG, TAG AND BOBTAIL of those they call ‘Blues.’

  1840.  DICKENS, Barnaby Rudge, xxxv. We don’t take in no TAGRAG AND BOBTAIL at our house.

  1842.  TENNYSON, Poems, ‘The Goose.’

  1855.  THACKERAY, The Newcomes, xxxv. Old hags … draped in majestic RAGGERY.

  1865.  C. F. BROWNE (‘Artemus Ward’), Artemus Ward: His Travels, II. xi. 180. Wall, don’t make fun of our clothes in the papers. We air goin’ right straight through in these here clothes, we air! We ain’t goin’ TO RAG OUT till we git to Nevady! Pass them sassiges!

  1869.  S. BOWLES, Our New West, 506. A finely dressed woman ‘RAGS OUT.’

  1870.  C. H. HAZLEWOOD and A. WILLIAMS, Leave It to Me, i. He has forbidden me his house. Joe. I see; told you TO TIP YOUR RAGS A GALLOP, and you won’t go.

  1877.  Figaro [reference lost]. We took a last peep, and saw the RAG-TACKER, mounted on a stool, still declaiming with an energy that argued much for his zeal.

  1878.  The Tramp Exposed, 21. The RAGSOOKER was an instrument attached to the end of a long pole for removing clothes-pins from the lines, and afterwards dragging the released clothes over the fence.

  1889.  The Sporting Times [A Dictionary of Slang, Jargon & Cant]. A writer in a penny RAG … failed far more lamentably … to entertain the public.

  1888.  W. E. HENLEY, A Book of Verses, ‘Hospital Outlines.’ RAGS and TATTERS, belts and bayonets.

  1900.  KIPLING, Stalky & Co., 228. You cut along and finish up your old RAG, and Turkey and me will help.

  1895.  Pall Mall Gazette, 19 Sept., 2, 1. I refer to the … yelling of a set of wretched creatures selling wretched papers, which, since the introduction of these RAGS within the last few years, has become unbearable.

  1899.  R. WHITEING, No. 5 John Street, iii. The daily paper, now, veritably … a daily RAG. Ibid., vi. That gal would live by a flower basket where others would starve. RAG-BAGS tied in the middle with a bit of string.

  1899.  Answers, 14 Jan., 1, 1. This matter of the RAG is hedged about with many unwritten laws. One who has mastered these will never go to breakfast in another man’s rooms in cap and gown…. Nor will he wear the RAG in the theatre, which is strictly barred.

  1901.  Daily Telegraph, 3 Oct., 9, 1. There is some talk, we believe, of a prosecution; but meanwhile the scandalous RAG can be seen in the kiosks, “open pages,” as our Correspondent says, “being flaunted in conspicuous positions.”

  4.  (American).—Bank paper, bills of exchange, and so forth; SOFT (q.v.). Whence RAG-SHOP = a bank (see ante); RAG-SHOP BOSS (or COVE) = a banker; RAG-SHOP COVE = a cashier; RAG-MONEY (or CURRENCY) = SOFT (q.v.); TO FLASH ONE’S RAGS = to display one’s notes; WITHOUT A RAG = penniless. Old cant = a farthing: whence in pl. = money (B. E. and GROSE).

  1593.  SHAKESPEARE, Comedy of Errors, iv. 4. Not a RAG of money.

  1613.  BEAUMONT and FLETCHER, The Captain, iv. 2.

  1826.  Old Song, ‘Bobby and His Mary’ [FARMER, Musa Pedestris (1896), 95].

  1840.  American Song.

  1864.  Glasgow Citizen, 19 Nov. Is not the exhilarating ‘short length’ of handy known beyond our own Queen Street that it is not registered here? And we miss the RAG TRADE whose worthy members do the above named goes.

  1875.  Nation, 29 July, 66. All true Democrats were clamorous for ‘hard-money’ and against RAG-MONEY.

  1887.  W. E. HENLEY, Villon’s Straight Tip to all Cross Coves, I. Suppose you … pitch a snide? or smash a RAG?

  1889.  LELAND in A Dictionary of Slang, Jargon & Cant, s.v. RAGS … bank-bills. Before … uniform currency, bills of innumerable banks of the “wild cat,” “blue pup,” and “ees’ dog” description often circulated at a discount of 50 or 60 per cent., in a very dirty and tattered condition. These were … RAGS, a word still used … for paper-money.

  c. 1879.  North American Review [Century]. Fortunately the ‘specie basis’ of the national banks is now chiefly paper—the RAG-BABY—three hundred and forty-six millions of greenbacks.

  5.  (service).—A flag: spec. the Union, but also the regimental colours. Hence RAG-CARRIER = an ensign (GROSE).

  1864.  WHITMAN [in Century, xxxvi. 827]. It cost three men’s lives to get back that four-by-three flag—to tear it from the breast of a dead rebel—for the name of getting their little ‘RAG’ back again.

  c. 1870.  Music Hall Song, ‘John Bull’s Flag.’ In India Nana Sahib flew, when Campbell showed the flag, At Trafalgar, too, when Nelson fell, he died before THE RAG.

  1892.  KIPLING, Barrack-Room Ballads, ‘The Rhyme of the Three Captains.’

  1892.  W. E. HENLEY, For England’s Sake, ‘The Man in the Street.’

  6.  (actors’ and showmen’s).—(1) The curtain; whence (2) a dénouement, i.e., a “curtain” = a situation on which to bring down the drop; RAGS-AND-STICKS = a travelling outfit: see quots. passim.

  1875.  Athenæum, 24 April, 545, 2. RAGS is another uncomplimentary term applied by prosperous members of circuses to the street tumblers.

  1876.  C. HINDLEY, ed. The Life and Adventures of a Cheap Jack, 99. Sawny Williams … was horrified at finding his ‘RAGS AND STICKS’—as a theatrical booth is always termed—just as he had left them the over night.

  1886.  Referee, 20 June. Poor Miss A—— was left for quite a minute before the RAG could be unhitched and made to shut out the tragic situation.

  1897.  MARSHALL, ‘Pomes’ from the Pink ’Un, 44. Which brought down the RAG on no end of a mess.

  7.  (military).—THE ORDER OF THE RAG = the profession of arms; RAG-FAIR = kit inspection (GROSE). See RAG-AND-FAMISH.

  1751.  FIELDING, Amelia, II. iv. It is the opinion which, I believe, most of you young GENTLEMEN OF THE ORDER OF THE RAG deserve.

  8.  (common).—The tongue: also RED-RAG, or RED-FLANNEL (B. E., c. 1696; DYCHE, 1748; GROSE, 1785); (9) = talk, banter, abuse. As verb. = (1) to scold; (2) to chaff; and (3—American university) to declaim or compose better than one’s class-mates: see RAGTIME. Whence RAG-BOX (or -SHOP) = the mouth; RAG-SAUCE = (1) chatter, and (2) CHEEK (q.v.); RAGSTER = a bully or scold; A DISH OF RED-RAG = abuse; TO CHEW THE RAG = (1) to scold, and (2) to sulk; TO GIVE THE RED RAG A HOLIDAY = to be silent; TOO MUCH RED RAG = loquacious.

  1820.  COMBE, Dr. Syntax, Consolations, iv.

  1821.  P. EGAN, Life in London, II. iv. ‘Hang you!… if you don’t hold that are RED RAG of yours, I’ll spoil your mouth.’ Ibid., Anecdotes of the Turf, 183. She tipped the party such a DISH OF RED RAG as almost to create a riot in the street. Ibid. (1842), Jack Flashman [in Captain Macheath]. Here the RAG-SAUCE of a friend.

  1826.  J. BRUTON, My Mugging Maid [The Universal Songster, iii. 103].

  1876.  W. S. GILBERT, Dan’l Druce, i. Mar. Stop that cursed RED RAG of yours, will you?

  1882.  T. A. GUTHRIE (‘F. Anstey’), Vice Versâ, xiv. “You’re right there, sir,” said Dick; “he ought to be well RAGGED for it.”

  1888.  Notes and Queries, 7 S., v. 469. “He was CHEWING THE RAG at me the whole afternoon.” Ibid., 7 S., vi. 38. To RAG a man is good Lincolnshire for chaff or tease. At school to get a hoy into a rage was called GETTING HIS RAG OUT.

  1892.  KIPLING, Barrack-Room Ballads, ‘The Young British Soldier.’ You shut up your RAG-BOX, an’ ’ark to my lay.

  1900.  Athenæum, 31 March, 391, 2. There is not much sport in RAGGING a body of men some of whom were but lately rowing in the same boat with yourself or dining at the same table.

  10.  (common).—Generic for a jollification, a wenching- (or drinking-) bout, or (American university) a brilliant success in class: also RAG-TIME. [In this connexion RAG-ROWTERING = romping.] As adj., RAG-TIME = merry, lively. Whence RAG-TIME GIRL = (1) a sweetheart, a ‘best girl,’ and (2) a harlot.

  1900.  Daily Mail, 10 March, 2, 4. There was keen excitement at Cambridge yesterday when the magistrates proceeded to deal with the last two prosecutions of students arising out of the notorious RAG in celebration of the relief of Ladysmith.

  1902.  The Sporting Times, 1 Feb., 1, 5. It’s the moosic what’s a-queering your pitch! the ruddy people can’t eat fried fish to RAG TIME!

  Verb. (common, thieves’).—To divide; to NAP THE REGULARS (q.v.).

  THE RAG, subs. phr. (London).—1.  See quot.

  1869.  GREENWOOD, The Seven Curses of London, 315. The unaristocratic establishment in the neighbourhood of Leather-Lane, originally christened the “RAGlan,” but more popularly known as the “RAG.”

  2.  (military).—See RAG AND FAMISH.

  TO TAKE THE RAG OFF, verb. phr. (America) = to surpass; to overcome; to ‘take the CAKE’ (q.v.).

  1855.  HALIBURTON (‘Sam Slick’), Nature and Human Nature, I. 28. The fun of the forecastle …! I would back that place for wit against any bar-room in New York or New Orleans, and I believe they TAKE THE RAG OFF of all creation. Ibid., 218. I had an everlastin’ fast Naraganset pacer…. He took THE RAG OFF THE BUSH in great style.