rag-baby

A child holds a rag-baby in her arms.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A doll made of cloth scraps: "rag-baby" refers to a simple doll crafted from pieces of fabric, often rags, typically handmade for a child to play with.
   • A metaphorical term for something makeshift or fragile: In extended use, "rag-baby" can describe any object or idea that is cobbled together from weak or discarded materials.

Usage Examples

• (A cloth doll made from scraps.)
• (A weak, poorly constructed concept.)

Advanced Usage

• "to treat like a rag-baby": to handle something carelessly or with disregard.
  • He threw the old book aside as if it were a rag-baby. (He treated it with no respect, like a worthless cloth doll.)

Variants and Related Words

• Rag-doll (n): a synonym for "rag-baby," specifically a doll made of cloth.
  • She sewed a rag-doll for her niece. (A handmade cloth doll.)
• Ragbag (n): a bag for storing rags; also, a collection of odds and ends.
  • The drawer was a ragbag of old buttons and strings. (A miscellaneous collection.)

Synonyms

• Cloth doll: a doll made from fabric.
• Tatter doll: a doll made from torn or worn pieces.

Related Idioms

• A rag-baby of a plan: a poorly conceived or fragile scheme.
  • Their escape route was a rag-baby of a plan, sure to fall apart. (An impractical, weak plan.)