a piece of old cloth, especially one torn from a larger piece, used typically for cleaning things

he wiped his hands on an oily rag

a piece of rag

a newspaper, typically one regarded as being of low quality

the local rag

a herd of colts

a rag of colts roamed the moorland

give a decorative effect to (a painted surface) by applying paint, typically of a different colour, with a rag

the background walls have been stippled above the dado rail and ragged below

make fun of (someone) in a boisterous manner

he ragged me about not smoking or drinking

despite the way I sometimes rag her, she is my sister

rebuke severely

I ragged a restaurant last week for mangling Key lime pie

keep possession of (the puck) by skilful stick-handling and avoidance of opponents, so as to waste time

players ragged the puck in mid-ice to kill off penalties

a programme of stunts, parades, and other entertainments organized by students to raise money for charity

rag week

a hard, coarse sedimentary rock that can be broken into thick slabs

a large country house, built of grey ragstone

there is a highly attractive stone exterior sitting under a rag slate roof

a large coarse roofing slate

a ragtime composition or tune

he writes marches, waltzes, and rags

to learn a rag you must master and memorize four bars at a time

(in Indian classical music) each of the six basic musical modes which express different moods in certain characteristic progressions, with more emphasis placed on some notes than others