ragtag
Noun: 1. A group of people perceived as disorganized, untidy, or of low social standing: The term "ragtag" is often used in a slightly disparaging or informal way to describe a collection of people who are poorly dressed, lack organization, or come from the lower classes of society. It emphasizes a lack of uniformity, elegance, or conventional respectability. 2. A motley or miscellaneous collection of things: While less common, "ragtag" can also describe a group of items that are varied, mismatched, or thrown together without order.
"Ragtag" is primarily used as a noun, often in the phrase "the ragtag" to refer to a group. It is also frequently used adjectivally in the compound form "ragtag" (e.g., a ragtag army). It carries a connotation of being makeshift, irregular, or not part of the mainstream.
- Noun:
- The victorious general showed mercy to the ragtag who surrendered.
- The charity aimed to help the city's ragtag and homeless.
- Adjectival Use (Compound Form):
- A ragtag group of volunteers gathered to clean the park.
- The rebels were a ragtag army with little training and mismatched uniforms.
- "ragtag and bobtail": This is an older, more emphatic idiom with the same meaning as "ragtag," referring collectively to common or disreputable people. It is now considered archaic.
- The nobleman wanted nothing to do with the ragtag and bobtail of the town.
- Ragged (adj): Torn or worn into tatters; uneven or irregular. This is the root adjective from which "ragtag" is derived.
- He wore a ragged coat.
- Motley (adj/n): Composed of diverse, often clashing elements. A close synonym for "ragtag" in its sense of a varied collection.
- A motley crew of adventurers.
- Rabble: A disorderly crowd; the common people, often with a negative connotation.
- Hoi polloi: (From Greek) The masses; the common people (can be neutral or derogatory).
- Proletariat: (Sociological) The class of wage-earners in a society. More formal and less disparaging than "ragtag."
- Elite: A select group that is superior in terms of ability, qualities, or social status.
- Aristocracy: The highest class in certain societies, typically comprising people of noble birth.
- "Ragtag and bobtail": As noted above, an archaic idiom synonymous with "the ragtag."
- The audience was just the usual ragtag and bobtail.
- disparaging terms for the common people