A rag is a small piece of old cloth. People use it to clean things or wipe dirt.
She used a rag to clean the table.
He wiped the dust with an old rag.
Sometimes rag means a newspaper or magazine. It often means a paper that is not very good or has gossip.
He reads the morning rag for news.
That rag printed many false stories.
Rag can mean torn or old clothes. It shows the clothes are broken or very old.
His shirt was full of rags and holes.
The old doll wore rags for clothes.
As a verb, rag means to speak badly about someone. It means to criticize or scold them a lot.
They ragged him for his mistake.
The coach ragged the team after losing.
Rag can also mean to tease someone in a fun way. It is a kind of joking that may annoy but is friendly.
They ragged him about his new haircut.
She ragged her brother for forgetting keys.
Rag can mean ragtime music, which is a style with a strong rhythm. It began in the late 1800s in America.
He plays a classic rag on the piano.
The band performed a lively rag song.
In the UK, rag means a student event with parades and jokes. It often raises money for charity.
The university held a rag last weekend.
Students joined the rag for charity money.
Rag can mean a rowing race or contest. It is often informal and local.
The club entered the local rowing rag.
They won the annual rag on the river.
