ˈragstone
[f. rag n.2]
1. = rag n.2 2.
| 1350 in Riley Lond. Mem. (1868) 262, [2 boatloads of] ragston. c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. ii. 139 Ragstoon & thinges hard..bereth vyneyerdes grete. [1573 in Willis & Clark Cambridge (1886) I. 174 Item for Ramsey stone free and ragge.] 1695 Woodward Nat. Hist. Earth (1723) 10 Free-stone, Ragg-stone, Lime-stone. 1759 B. Stillingfleet tr. Biberg's Econ. Nat. in Misc. Tracts (1762) 42 The upper parts consist of rag-stone, the next of slate, the third of marble. 1812 J. Smyth Pract. of Customs (1821) 242 Rag stone..is used by artificers, for the purpose of giving a fine edge to knives, chissels, and other tools, which have previously been sharpened upon stones of a coarse texture. 1881 Young Every man his own Mechanic §1309. 602 The famous Kentish ragstone so much used in bold rubble work for churches, houses, walls. |
| attrib. 1846 M{supc}Culloch Acc. Brit. Empire (1854) I. 197 The soil of the lower, or ragstone ridge, varies much. |
2. = rag n.2 1.
| 1565 Cooper Thesaurus, Cæmentitius, Made of rubbell or ragge stones. 1565 Jewel Def. Apol. (1611) 352 The great ragge stones at Stonage, or Long Compton. 1698 W. King tr. Sorbière's Journ. Lond. 11 All the Streets are Paved with Pebbles, and Flints and Rag Stones. 1766 Entick London IV. 265 A handsome walk paved with rag stones. 1840 J. Devlin Shoemaker i. 113 Rag stones for pointing awls. 1872 Archæol. Cantiana VIII. 11 Some large squared ragstones, and beneath them some human bones. |