Nag vs Rag - What's the difference?

nag | rag |

As nouns the difference between nag and rag

is that nag is a small horse; a pony while rag is tattered clothes.

As verbs the difference between nag and rag

is that nag is to repeatedly remind or complain to someone in an annoying way, often about insignificant matters while rag is to become tattered.

nag

English

Etymology 1

(etyl) nagge'', cognate with Dutch ''negge

Noun

(en noun)

A small horse; a pony.

An old useless horse.

(obsolete, derogatory) A paramour.

* 1598 , , III. x. 11:

Yon ribaudred nag of Egypt – Whom leprosy o'ertake!

Synonyms

* (old useless horse) dobbin, hack, jade, plug

Coordinate terms

* (old useless horse) bum (racing )

Etymology 2

Probably from a (etyl) source; compare Swedish .

Verb

(nagg)

To repeatedly remind or complain to someone in an annoying way, often about insignificant matters.

To act inappropriately in the eyes of peers, to backstab, to verbally abuse.

To bother with persistent memories.

The notion that he forgot something nagged him the rest of the day.

Other sorts of persistent annoyance, e.g.:

A nagging pain in his left knee

A nagging north wind

Noun

(en noun)

One who .

Anagrams

* * * * ----

rag

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) . Cognate with Swedish ragg.

Noun

(en noun)

(in the plural) Tattered clothes.

* (and other bibliographic particulars) (Dryden)

Virtue, though in rags , will keep me warm.

A piece of old cloth; a tattered piece of cloth; a shred, a tatter.

* (and other bibliographic particulars) (Milton)

Cowls, hoods, and habits, with their wearers, tossed, / And fluttered into rags .

* (and other bibliographic particulars) (Fuller)

Not having otherwise any rag of legality to cover the shame of their cruelty.

A shabby, beggarly fellow; a ragamuffin.

* (and other bibliographic particulars) (Ben Jonson)

The other zealous rag is the compositor.

* (and other bibliographic particulars) (Spenser)

Upon the proclamation, they all came in, both tag and rag .

A ragged edge in metalworking.

(nautical, slang) A sail, or any piece of canvas.

* (and other bibliographic particulars) (Lowell)

Our ship was a clipper with every rag set.

(slang, pejorative) A newspaper, magazine.

(rfc-sense) (poker slang) A card that appears to help no one.

(rfc-sense) (poker slang) A low card.

Derived terms

* on the rag * lose one's rag * ragwort * smell of an oily rag

Verb

(ragg)

To become tattered.

(Webster 1913)

Etymology 2

origin; perhaps the same word as Etymology 1, above.

Noun

(en noun)

A coarse kind of rock, somewhat cellular in texture; ragstone.

* 2003 , (Peter Ackroyd), The Clerkenwell Tales , page 1:

the three walls around the garden, each one of thirty-three feet, were built out of three layers of stone — pebble stone, flint and rag stone.

Verb

(ragg)

To break (ore) into lumps for sorting.

To cut or dress roughly, as a grindstone.

Etymology 3

Origin uncertain.

Verb

(ragg)

To scold or rail at; to rate; to tease; to torment; to banter.

To drive a car or another vehicle in a hard, fast or unsympathetic manner.

To tease or torment, especially at a university; to bully, to haze.

Derived terms

* rag the puck * rag on

Noun

(en noun)

(dated) A prank or practical joke.

(UK, Ireland) A society run by university students for the purpose of charitable fundraising.

Derived terms

* rag day * rag week

Etymology 4

Perhaps from (ragged). Compare later (ragtime).

Noun

(en noun)

(obsolete, US) An informal dance party featuring music played by African-American string bands.

A ragtime song, dance or piece of music.

Anagrams

References

* Weisenberg, Michael (2000) The Official Dictionary of Poker. MGI/Mike Caro University. ISBN 978-1880069523 ----