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.
| 1393 Langl. 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.
| 1581 G. Pettie tr. Guazzo's Civ. Conv. (1586) iv. 187 b, Others there are..who care not how like slouens and raggamuffins they goe. 1607 Dekker & Webster Westw. Hoe D.'s Wks. 1873 II. 350 What set of Villaines are you, you perpetuall Ragamuffins? 1622 T. Scott Newes fr. Pernassus 48 It is no marvaile if I be spoyled to clothe so many Raggedemuffins. 1704 Swift Batt. Bks. Misc. (1711) 243 Rogues and Ragamuffins, that follow the Camp for nothing but the Plunder. 1764 Mem. G. Psalmanazar 152, I soon persuaded half a dozen of my fellow ragamuffians to follow me. c 1817 Hogg Tales & Sk. V. 178 Come out, ye vile rag-o-muffin. 1840 Dickens Barn. Rudge xxxv, A set of ragamuffins comes a-shouting after us, ‘Gordon for ever!’ 1894 Jessopp Rand. Roam. ii. 32 A caretaker..to warn off ragamuffins. |
b. attrib. or as adj. Rough, beggarly, good-for-nothing, disorderly.
| 1602 Rowlands Greenes Ghost 37 There are a certaine band of Raggamuffin Prentises about the towne, that will abuse anie vpon the smallest occasion that is. 1668 Evelyn tr. Freart's Idea Perfect. Paint. 105 He rather chose to resemble a ragamuffin Vagabond than a Philosopher. 1772 Graves Spir. Quix. viii. xxiii. (1783) II. 262 Mr. Aldworth..turned over the rest of this ragamuffin assembly to the care of his Butler. 1812 H. & J. Smith Rej. Addr., T. Drury Lane (Revival), Many a raggamuffin clan With trowel and with hod. 1858 R. S. Surtees Ask Mamma xxiv. 92 Look at a shooter, — what a ragamuffin dress his is. |
3. dial. The long-tailed titmouse.
| 1885 Swainson 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.
| 1831 Fraser's Mag. IV. 5 A fair specimen of the manner in which the *ragamuffinery will manage their members. |
| 1868 Helps Realmah xvii, Six or eight *ragamuffinesses..began to dance. |
| 1859 Masson Brit. Novelists ii. 95 He..knew the very face of the mob and *ragamuffinism in its haunts. |
| 1832 Blackw. Mag. XXXI. 668 You will not object..to *ragamuffinize that House a little. |
| 1890 J. Fothergill March in Ranks I. x. 154 His attire was..shabby, not to say *ragamuffinly in the extreme. |
| 1831 Fraser'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. 1851 Life 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. 1989 Face Jan. 23/1 ‘It's not ragamuffin,’ says Rob Smith, ‘but it's got a reggae feel to it.’ 1991 Source Dec. 60/2 As raggamuffin lyrics over hip-hop beats become more common, the Fu-Shnickens are right on top of the trend. 1993 Independent 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. 2001 Ottawa Sun (Electronic ed.) 22 June Raggamuffin reggae bash with Bingie Barker every Thurs. |