Dictionary definition · rag
noun
- a small piece of cloth
- a week at British universities during which side-shows and processions of floats are organized to raise money for charities
- music with a syncopated melody (usually for the piano)
- newspaper with half-size pages
- a boisterous practical joke (especially by college students)
verb
- treat cruelly"The children tormented the stuttering teacher"
- cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations"Mosquitoes buzzing in my ear really bothers me"
- play in ragtime"rag that old tune"
- harass with persistent criticism or carping"The children teased the new teacher"
- censure severely or angrily"The mother scolded the child for entering a stranger's car"
- break into lumps before sorting"rag ore"
Source: Open English WordNet (CC BY 4.0).