rag fair
Definition
- Noun:
- A market or fair where old or second-hand clothing, rags, and textiles are sold or traded. This term historically referred to markets dealing in used garments and fabric scraps, often for recycling or resale.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- She found a beautiful vintage dress at the rag fair in the town square. (A market selling second-hand clothing.)
- The rag fair was bustling with people looking for cheap fabrics and old clothes. (A trading event for used textiles.)
- In the 19th century, rag fairs were common in industrial cities for recycling cloth. (Historical markets for rags.)
Advanced Usage
- "to go to the rag fair": to visit a market specializing in second-hand clothing.
- Every Saturday, they go to the rag fair to find bargains. (They attend the used-clothing market.)
- "rag fair economy": a system of informal trade in old textiles, often associated with poverty or recycling.
- The rag fair economy thrived among the working class. (The trade in used clothes was common.)
Variants and Related Words
- Rag (n): a piece of old cloth, often torn or worn.
- He used a rag to clean the table. (A scrap of fabric.)
- Fair (n): a gathering of stalls for buying and selling goods.
- The town holds a fair every summer. (A market event.)
- Rag-and-bone man (n): a person who collects and sells old clothes and other discarded items.
- The rag-and-bone man passed by the street with his cart. (A collector of used goods.)
Synonyms
- Jumble sale: a sale of second-hand items, often for charity.
- Flea market: a market selling used goods, including clothing.
- Thrift market: a market for inexpensive second-hand items.
Related Idioms
- From rags to riches: a rise from poverty to wealth.
- His story is a classic from rags to riches. (He became wealthy after being poor.)
- In rags: wearing very old or torn clothes.
- The beggar was dressed in rags. (Wearing shabby clothing.)