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ragamuffin, n. and a.|ˈrægəmʌfɪn|
Forms: α. 4 ragamoffyn, -muffyn, -mofin, 5 ragomofin, 6 rag of muffin, 6–9 ragga-, 7 ragge-, 7–8 rag-a-, 9 Sc. rag-o-, 7– ragamuffin; 7–9 ragamuffian, (8 ragga-). β. 7 raggede-, 9 dial. ragg'dmuffin.
[Prob. from rag n.1 (cf. ragged 1 c), with fanciful ending.]
†1. The name of a demon. Obs. rare—1.
1393Langl. P. Pl. C. xxi. 283 Ac rys vp ragamoffyn and reche me alle þe barres, That belial þy bel-syre beot with þy damme.
2. A ragged, dirty, disreputable man or boy.
1581G. Pettie tr. Guazzo's Civ. Conv. (1586) iv. 187 b, Others there are..who care not how like slouens and raggamuffins they goe. 1607Dekker & Webster Westw. Hoe D.'s Wks. 1873 II. 350 What set of Villaines are you, you perpetuall Ragamuffins? 1622T. Scott Newes fr. Pernassus 48 It is no marvaile if I be spoyled to clothe so many Raggedemuffins. 1704Swift Batt. Bks. Misc. (1711) 243 Rogues and Ragamuffins, that follow the Camp for nothing but the Plunder. 1764Mem. G. Psalmanazar 152, I soon persuaded half a dozen of my fellow ragamuffians to follow me. c1817Hogg Tales & Sk. V. 178 Come out, ye vile rag-o-muffin. 1840Dickens Barn. Rudge xxxv, A set of ragamuffins comes a-shouting after us, ‘Gordon for ever!’ 1894Jessopp Rand. Roam. ii. 32 A caretaker..to warn off ragamuffins.
b. attrib. or as adj. Rough, beggarly, good-for-nothing, disorderly.
1602Rowlands Greenes Ghost 37 There are a certaine band of Raggamuffin Prentises about the towne, that will abuse anie vpon the smallest occasion that is. 1668Evelyn tr. Freart's Idea Perfect. Paint. 105 He rather chose to resemble a ragamuffin Vagabond than a Philosopher. 1772Graves Spir. Quix. viii. xxiii. (1783) II. 262 Mr. Aldworth..turned over the rest of this ragamuffin assembly to the care of his Butler. 1812H. & J. Smith Rej. Addr., T. Drury Lane (Revival), Many a raggamuffin clan With trowel and with hod. 1858R. S. Surtees Ask Mamma xxiv. 92 Look at a shooter, — what a ragamuffin dress his is.
3. dial. The long-tailed titmouse.
1885Swainson Names Birds 31.
Hence ragamuffinery = ragamuffinry. ragamuffiness, a female ragamuffin. ragamuffinism, the world of ragamuffins. ragamuffinize v. trans., to render disreputable. ragamuffinly a., beggarly. ragamuffinry, (a) the disreputable classes of society; (b) depraved actions or conduct.
1831Fraser's Mag. IV. 5 A fair specimen of the manner in which the *ragamuffinery will manage their members.
1868Helps Realmah xvii, Six or eight *ragamuffinesses..began to dance.
1859Masson Brit. Novelists ii. 95 He..knew the very face of the mob and *ragamuffinism in its haunts.
1832Blackw. Mag. XXXI. 668 You will not object..to *ragamuffinize that House a little.
1890J. Fothergill March in Ranks I. x. 154 His attire was..shabby, not to say *ragamuffinly in the extreme.
1831Fraser's Mag. III. 745 Hunt..is jostled by every-day compeers in *ragamuffinry. Ibid. IV. 131 The whole..of the ragamuffinry of the town proceed to the fight. 1851Life Bunyan in Scott's Pilgr. Progr. 6 He never committed theft or ragamuffinry as a boy.
▸ Freq. in form raggamuffin. = ragga n. a, b.
1986‘Junior Delgado’ (title of song) Raggamuffin year. 1989Face Jan. 23/1 ‘It's not ragamuffin,’ says Rob Smith, ‘but it's got a reggae feel to it.’ 1991Source Dec. 60/2 As raggamuffin lyrics over hip-hop beats become more common, the Fu-Shnickens are right on top of the trend. 1993Independent 11 June 24/1 It has given an identity to second- and third-generation black Britons who feel no desire to assimilate into the mainstream: raggamuffins pepper their talk with thick Jamaican slang, even if their parents were born in Birmingham. 2001Ottawa Sun (Electronic ed.) 22 June Raggamuffin reggae bash with Bingie Barker every Thurs. |