ragamuffin (ragamufin)

and a. [Early mod. E. also raggemuffin, rag am of in, ragomofin; erroneously analyzed rag - a - muffin, rag of Muf fins; Ac rys vp, Ragamoffyn , and rec he me alle the barres The Belial thy bel-syre beot with thy damme. Piers Plowman (C), xxi. 283. 2. An idle, worthle fellow; a vagabond; now, especially, a disreputably ragged or slovenly person: formerly used as a general term of reprehension. I have led my ragamuffins where they are peppered. Shak., 1 Hen. IV., v. 3. 36. Did that same tiranicall-tongu'd rag - a - muffin Horace turne bald-pates out so naked? Dekker, Humorous Poet, IMG:content-1565.png:[blocks in formation] 3. A titmouse: same as mufflin. II. a . Base; beggarly; ragged or disorderly. Here be the emperor's captains, you ragamuffin rascal, and not your comrades. B. Jonson , Poetaster, i. 1. Mr. Aldworth turned over the rest of this raga muffin a embly to the care of his butler. Graves , Spiritual Quixote, viii. 23. (Davies.) raga muff inly (rag'a-muf-in-li), a . [ ragamuf fin + ly1.] Like a ragamuffin; marked by raggedne or slovenline . [Rare.] His attire was shabby, not to say raga muff inly in the extreme, as to inherent disreputablene of appearance. J. Fother gill, March in the Ranks, x. 4938 etc.] 11. Madne ; insanity; an acce of maniacal violence. Now, out of doubt Antipholus is mad. The reason that I gather he is mad, Besides this present instance of his rage , Is a mad tale he told to-day. Shak., C. of E., iv. 3. 88. 2. Violent anger manifested in language or action; indignation or resentment excited to fury and expre ed in furious words and gestures, with agitation. Words well dispost Have secrete powré t' appease inflamed rage . Spenser , F. Q., II. viii. 26. So he [Naaman] turned and went away in a rage . 2 Ki. v. 12. Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned. Congreve, Mourning Bride, iii. 8. 3. Extreme violence of operation or effect; intensity of degree, force, or urgency: used of things or conditions: as, the rage of a storm or of the sea; the rage of fever or of thirst. ragged If the Sickne rage in such Extremity at London, the Term will be held at Reading. Howell , Letters, I. iv. 23. The storm of cheers and counter-cheers rages around him [Mr. Gladstone], as it can rage nowhere except in the House of Commons. T. W. Reid , Cabinet Portraits, p. 24. 41. To frolic wantonly; play; frisk; romp. When sche seyth galantys revell yn hall, Yn here hert she thynkys owtrage, Desyrynge with them to pley and rage , And stelyth fro yow full prevely. Reliq. Antiq., i. 29. ( Hall i well.) On a day this hende Nicholas Fil with this yonge wyf to rage and pleye. Chaucer, Miller's Tale, 1. 87. IMG:content-1566.png:[blocks in formation] 5. To be very eager or anxious. [Rare.] II. trans. To enrage; chafe; fret. Deal mildly with his youth; For young hot colts being raged do rage the more. Shak ., Rich. II., ii. 1. 70. ragee, n. See raggee . rageful (rāj'fül), a . [ rage + -ful .] Full of rage; furious. And in wynter, and especially in lente, it ys mervelows flowyng with rage of watir that comyth with grett violence thorow the vale of Josophat. Torkington , Diarie of Eng. Travell, p. 27. Shak ., Cymbeline, iv. 2 (song). ragemant, n. See ragman3 . With rageful eyes she bad him defend himself. Sir P. Sidney , Arcadia, ii. Nor thou be rageful , like a handled bee. Tennyson , Ancient Sage. IMG:content-1567.png:[blocks in formation] rag-engine (rag'en"jin), n. In paper - manuf., a tank fitted with rotating cylindrical cutters or other devices for the rapid disintegration of rags to form paper-pulp.