rag

Meanings

• a small piece of cloth or paper
• 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)
• treat cruelly
• cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations
• play in ragtime
  • "rag that old tune"
• harass with persistent criticism or carping
• censure severely or angrily
  • "The deputy ragged the Prime Minister"
• break into lumps before sorting
  • "rag ore"

Synonyms

annoy, bait, bawl out, bedevil, berate, bother, call down, call on the carpet, chafe, chew out, chew up, chide, cod, crucify, devil, dress down, dun, frustrate, get at, get to, gravel, have words, irritate, jaw, lambast, lambaste, lecture, nark, nettle, rag week, ragtime, rally, razz, rebuke, remonstrate, reprimand, reproof, ride, rile, scold, sheet, shred, tabloid, tag, tag end, take to task, tantalise, tantalize, tatter, taunt, tease, torment, trounce, twit, vex