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What is the origin of “rag” meaning newspaper?


What are some slang terms for “newspaper”?What is the origin and meaning of “coyote ugly”?What is the origin of “stack” meaning $1000?Origin and meaning of “rackers”What is the origin for meaning of “Wild-card”?Origin of “booty”, meaning buttocksWhat is the origin and meaning of conniption didoWhat is the origin of “fine” meaning a legal penalty?The origin of the derogatory usage of Guido'Bone-idle' - what is the origin of the meaning?Origin of “crooked” meaning grumpy













5















In Australia and the UK, some folks refer to a newspaper as a rag, and I am curious how this term was coined.



Although most people would ask for a newspaper, I have gone around asking "Have you got a copy of today's rag?" today and only one out of twelve people I asked (I asked in coffee shops and the like) didn't know what I meant straight away.



I am trying to make a connection - dirty rag, newspaper commonly used to pack stuff or for cleaning (not a good idea anyhow) but I am stumped as the actual origins of the word.










share|improve this question



















  • 1





    In my experience 'rag' is slang for magazine. I've never heard it used to refer to a newspaper- although I see it is listed in several online dictionaries.

    – Jim
    Sep 13 '12 at 6:26






  • 2





    As a non native I had always assumed "rag" was used only when talking about newspapers that deal with sensational news items (I've heard and read the expression "gutter press" as regards to what I called "rags") and such newspapers as The Telegraph or The Guardian would not qualify as rags. And I thought it was called "rag" because it wiped the dirt from the gutter just like a rag in a house is used to wipe the dirt from the floor and furniture. It seems from your question that I was mistaken then and that any type of newspaper would be called a "rag".

    – Laure
    Sep 13 '12 at 6:39












  • Also see What are some slang terms for “newspaper”?, [closed], where some dozens of slang terms for newspaper – including rag – are listed.

    – James Waldby - jwpat7
    Sep 13 '12 at 7:25







  • 1





    Prior to the development of wood pulp paper in the mid 1800s, rags were commonly used to produce paper.

    – Hot Licks
    Jul 28 '15 at 12:04












  • As an impecunious undergraduate, I lived in cheap rented digs where the WC was outside in what passed as a backyard. Loo paper consisted of neatly squared cut-up pages from the landlord's daily rag, the Sun 'Newspaper' [sic], held together by rough string dangling down from the corrugated roof of the convenience. Those were the days.

    – Peter Point
    Jan 16 '17 at 8:25















5















In Australia and the UK, some folks refer to a newspaper as a rag, and I am curious how this term was coined.



Although most people would ask for a newspaper, I have gone around asking "Have you got a copy of today's rag?" today and only one out of twelve people I asked (I asked in coffee shops and the like) didn't know what I meant straight away.



I am trying to make a connection - dirty rag, newspaper commonly used to pack stuff or for cleaning (not a good idea anyhow) but I am stumped as the actual origins of the word.










share|improve this question



















  • 1





    In my experience 'rag' is slang for magazine. I've never heard it used to refer to a newspaper- although I see it is listed in several online dictionaries.

    – Jim
    Sep 13 '12 at 6:26






  • 2





    As a non native I had always assumed "rag" was used only when talking about newspapers that deal with sensational news items (I've heard and read the expression "gutter press" as regards to what I called "rags") and such newspapers as The Telegraph or The Guardian would not qualify as rags. And I thought it was called "rag" because it wiped the dirt from the gutter just like a rag in a house is used to wipe the dirt from the floor and furniture. It seems from your question that I was mistaken then and that any type of newspaper would be called a "rag".

    – Laure
    Sep 13 '12 at 6:39












  • Also see What are some slang terms for “newspaper”?, [closed], where some dozens of slang terms for newspaper – including rag – are listed.

    – James Waldby - jwpat7
    Sep 13 '12 at 7:25







  • 1





    Prior to the development of wood pulp paper in the mid 1800s, rags were commonly used to produce paper.

    – Hot Licks
    Jul 28 '15 at 12:04












  • As an impecunious undergraduate, I lived in cheap rented digs where the WC was outside in what passed as a backyard. Loo paper consisted of neatly squared cut-up pages from the landlord's daily rag, the Sun 'Newspaper' [sic], held together by rough string dangling down from the corrugated roof of the convenience. Those were the days.

    – Peter Point
    Jan 16 '17 at 8:25













5












5








5








In Australia and the UK, some folks refer to a newspaper as a rag, and I am curious how this term was coined.



Although most people would ask for a newspaper, I have gone around asking "Have you got a copy of today's rag?" today and only one out of twelve people I asked (I asked in coffee shops and the like) didn't know what I meant straight away.



I am trying to make a connection - dirty rag, newspaper commonly used to pack stuff or for cleaning (not a good idea anyhow) but I am stumped as the actual origins of the word.










share|improve this question
















In Australia and the UK, some folks refer to a newspaper as a rag, and I am curious how this term was coined.



Although most people would ask for a newspaper, I have gone around asking "Have you got a copy of today's rag?" today and only one out of twelve people I asked (I asked in coffee shops and the like) didn't know what I meant straight away.



I am trying to make a connection - dirty rag, newspaper commonly used to pack stuff or for cleaning (not a good idea anyhow) but I am stumped as the actual origins of the word.







etymology synonyms pejorative-language






share|improve this question















share|improve this question













share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited Jul 28 '15 at 6:56









Mari-Lou A

62.4k57224463




62.4k57224463










asked Sep 13 '12 at 5:27









FluffehFluffeh

258137




258137







  • 1





    In my experience 'rag' is slang for magazine. I've never heard it used to refer to a newspaper- although I see it is listed in several online dictionaries.

    – Jim
    Sep 13 '12 at 6:26






  • 2





    As a non native I had always assumed "rag" was used only when talking about newspapers that deal with sensational news items (I've heard and read the expression "gutter press" as regards to what I called "rags") and such newspapers as The Telegraph or The Guardian would not qualify as rags. And I thought it was called "rag" because it wiped the dirt from the gutter just like a rag in a house is used to wipe the dirt from the floor and furniture. It seems from your question that I was mistaken then and that any type of newspaper would be called a "rag".

    – Laure
    Sep 13 '12 at 6:39












  • Also see What are some slang terms for “newspaper”?, [closed], where some dozens of slang terms for newspaper – including rag – are listed.

    – James Waldby - jwpat7
    Sep 13 '12 at 7:25







  • 1





    Prior to the development of wood pulp paper in the mid 1800s, rags were commonly used to produce paper.

    – Hot Licks
    Jul 28 '15 at 12:04












  • As an impecunious undergraduate, I lived in cheap rented digs where the WC was outside in what passed as a backyard. Loo paper consisted of neatly squared cut-up pages from the landlord's daily rag, the Sun 'Newspaper' [sic], held together by rough string dangling down from the corrugated roof of the convenience. Those were the days.

    – Peter Point
    Jan 16 '17 at 8:25












  • 1





    In my experience 'rag' is slang for magazine. I've never heard it used to refer to a newspaper- although I see it is listed in several online dictionaries.

    – Jim
    Sep 13 '12 at 6:26






  • 2





    As a non native I had always assumed "rag" was used only when talking about newspapers that deal with sensational news items (I've heard and read the expression "gutter press" as regards to what I called "rags") and such newspapers as The Telegraph or The Guardian would not qualify as rags. And I thought it was called "rag" because it wiped the dirt from the gutter just like a rag in a house is used to wipe the dirt from the floor and furniture. It seems from your question that I was mistaken then and that any type of newspaper would be called a "rag".

    – Laure
    Sep 13 '12 at 6:39












  • Also see What are some slang terms for “newspaper”?, [closed], where some dozens of slang terms for newspaper – including rag – are listed.

    – James Waldby - jwpat7
    Sep 13 '12 at 7:25







  • 1





    Prior to the development of wood pulp paper in the mid 1800s, rags were commonly used to produce paper.

    – Hot Licks
    Jul 28 '15 at 12:04












  • As an impecunious undergraduate, I lived in cheap rented digs where the WC was outside in what passed as a backyard. Loo paper consisted of neatly squared cut-up pages from the landlord's daily rag, the Sun 'Newspaper' [sic], held together by rough string dangling down from the corrugated roof of the convenience. Those were the days.

    – Peter Point
    Jan 16 '17 at 8:25







1




1





In my experience 'rag' is slang for magazine. I've never heard it used to refer to a newspaper- although I see it is listed in several online dictionaries.

– Jim
Sep 13 '12 at 6:26





In my experience 'rag' is slang for magazine. I've never heard it used to refer to a newspaper- although I see it is listed in several online dictionaries.

– Jim
Sep 13 '12 at 6:26




2




2





As a non native I had always assumed "rag" was used only when talking about newspapers that deal with sensational news items (I've heard and read the expression "gutter press" as regards to what I called "rags") and such newspapers as The Telegraph or The Guardian would not qualify as rags. And I thought it was called "rag" because it wiped the dirt from the gutter just like a rag in a house is used to wipe the dirt from the floor and furniture. It seems from your question that I was mistaken then and that any type of newspaper would be called a "rag".

– Laure
Sep 13 '12 at 6:39






As a non native I had always assumed "rag" was used only when talking about newspapers that deal with sensational news items (I've heard and read the expression "gutter press" as regards to what I called "rags") and such newspapers as The Telegraph or The Guardian would not qualify as rags. And I thought it was called "rag" because it wiped the dirt from the gutter just like a rag in a house is used to wipe the dirt from the floor and furniture. It seems from your question that I was mistaken then and that any type of newspaper would be called a "rag".

– Laure
Sep 13 '12 at 6:39














Also see What are some slang terms for “newspaper”?, [closed], where some dozens of slang terms for newspaper – including rag – are listed.

– James Waldby - jwpat7
Sep 13 '12 at 7:25






Also see What are some slang terms for “newspaper”?, [closed], where some dozens of slang terms for newspaper – including rag – are listed.

– James Waldby - jwpat7
Sep 13 '12 at 7:25





1




1





Prior to the development of wood pulp paper in the mid 1800s, rags were commonly used to produce paper.

– Hot Licks
Jul 28 '15 at 12:04






Prior to the development of wood pulp paper in the mid 1800s, rags were commonly used to produce paper.

– Hot Licks
Jul 28 '15 at 12:04














As an impecunious undergraduate, I lived in cheap rented digs where the WC was outside in what passed as a backyard. Loo paper consisted of neatly squared cut-up pages from the landlord's daily rag, the Sun 'Newspaper' [sic], held together by rough string dangling down from the corrugated roof of the convenience. Those were the days.

– Peter Point
Jan 16 '17 at 8:25





As an impecunious undergraduate, I lived in cheap rented digs where the WC was outside in what passed as a backyard. Loo paper consisted of neatly squared cut-up pages from the landlord's daily rag, the Sun 'Newspaper' [sic], held together by rough string dangling down from the corrugated roof of the convenience. Those were the days.

– Peter Point
Jan 16 '17 at 8:25










8 Answers
8






active

oldest

votes


















2














The origin of this use of the word goes back to the seventeenth century. The OED’s entry for it comes under the category rag used in ‘Senses relating to something compared to a torn piece of cloth’. It is quite possible that early newspapers bore just such a resemblance.






share|improve this answer























  • -1; I think you haven't clearly spelled out what the OED said vs what is speculation on your part. Also, are newspapers mentioned in that “category rag used in ‘Senses ...’” section? What entry or heading did you refer to?

    – James Waldby - jwpat7
    Sep 13 '12 at 7:32







  • 2





    @jwpat7 Actually, it goes a long way to explaining the history of the term which I was curious in :)

    – Fluffeh
    Sep 13 '12 at 10:37


















7














To supplement Barrie England and MετάEd's answers: Etymonline reports that the pejorative term rag, which is used to express or suggest a newspaper's worthlessness, dates back to the 18th century.




rag (n.) scrap of cloth, early 14c., probably from Old Norse rögg "shaggy tuft," earlier raggw-, or possibly from Old Danish rag, or a back-formation from ragged, […] As an insulting term for "newspaper, magazine" it dates from 1734




The first British newspapers were actually called gazettes after the Italian gazzetta, which in turn is said to derive from the Italian word for magpie (la gazza ladra). And one of the first and oldest surviving British “newspapers” is called The London Gazette. It was first printed on 7 November 1665 under the name of The Oxford Gazette.



The first general-interest magazine was The Gentleman's Magazine, first published in 1731, in London. Whether this magazine or subsequent periodicals inspired the epithet rag (documented three years later), is not known. It might have been an ironic term used by its own readers, or a gratuitous insult by its opponents, there's no way of knowing for sure.



Poor paper quality not writing



From an article published by the same magazine, in 1823, the following extract supports the theory that the term rag was used to refer to the main component of a newspaper, and perhaps, initially, to the substandard quality of the paper used in printing these journals etc. during the 18th and 19th century.




It is notorious that the great mass of printing papers are now made of cotton rags; and that to produce a better colour, the pulp undergoes a chemical process, which materially injures its durability —EDIT




A reader writes:




Allow me to call the attention of your readers to the present state of that wretched compound called Paper. Every printer will corroborate my testimony † and I am only astonished that the interesting question has been so long neglected and forgotten. It is a duty however of the most imperative description our beautiful Religion our Literature our Science all are threatened.



I have seen letters of a recent date already become a carte blanche. One letter, which I forwarded by post, fell to pieces by the way, and I have noticed more than once a description of writing-paper, that being bent, snapped like a bit of watch-spring. I have in my possession a large copy of the Bible printed at Oxford, 1816 (never used), and issued by the British and Foreign Bible Society, crumbling literally into dust.



[…]



The causes of destruction are twofold : the materiel and the mode of bleaching the rags.

The use of cotton rags was very happily superseded by those of linen, yet I fear some manufacturers are not very scrupulous in the selection.

The application of quicklime to the rags, once prevalent in France, but very properly subsequently interdicted was a serious evil for it actually decomposed the material. Are we entirely guiltless? Such a process must needs disorganize the fibre. […]



[Emphasis in bold mine]




The Gentleman's Magazine From July to December, 1823



Due to the high demand of white paper in the 18th century, the processes employed at the time was responsible for the reduced longevity of paper, as confirmed by BAPH (British Association of Printing Historians)




Increasing demands for more paper during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries led to shortages of the rags needed to produce the paper. Part of the problem was that no satisfactory method of bleaching pulp had yet been devised, and so only white rags could be used to produce white paper. Chlorine bleaching was being used by the end of the eighteenth century, but excessive use produced papers that were of poor quality and deteriorated quickly. By 1800 up to 24 million lb of rags were being used annually, to produce 10,000 tons of paper in England and Wales, and 1000 tons in Scotland, the home market being supplemented by imports, mainly from the continent. Experiments in using other materials, such as sawdust, rye straw, cabbage stumps and spruce wood had been conducted in 1765 by Jacob Christian Schäffer.







share|improve this answer

























  • Good (+1) work, Kid!

    – user98990
    Jul 28 '15 at 23:10


















6














Definition II 7a in the OED says rag is colloquial for:




A newspaper or magazine, esp. one
regarded as inferior or worthless.




It is often used to refer to tabloid newspapers, which some see as a lower form of journalism.






share|improve this answer


















  • 1





    Generally speaking, when I've refered to a newspaper as a "rag," I've meant it in a disparaging way. +1

    – J.R.
    Sep 14 '12 at 2:12












  • @J.R.: You're answering the question in my comment to the OP's question, thanks.

    – Laure
    Sep 14 '12 at 7:37


















2














The paper used to publish newspapers is made from a combination of recycled old rags and wood pulp hence the term rag for newspaper






share|improve this answer























  • Interesting! But can you back up your statement?

    – Mari-Lou A
    Jul 31 '13 at 22:51






  • 1





    OED gives evidence that "rag" came to be used figuratively to mean any small worthless scrap, and this was extended metaphorically to all objects of contempt, not just fabrics and paper but anything: even a person, as early as 1566. Two examples: "that rubbishy rag of a girl" (Ruskin) and "you witch, you ragge, you baggage" (Shakespeare). So while it is natural to assume "rag" refers to a newspaper's raw materials, this is actually the figurative use of "rag" to mean an object of contempt.

    – MetaEd
    Jul 31 '13 at 23:06



















1














OED gives evidence that rag came to be used figuratively to mean any small worthless scrap. This figurative use was extended metaphorically to describe any object of contempt, not just fabrics and paper but anything: even a person, as early as 1566. Two examples:




that rubbishy rag of a girl (Ruskin)




and




you witch, you ragge, you baggage (Shakespeare).




That being said, it is not hard to imagine that when choosing a word to express contempt for a piece of fabric or paper, such as a flag, newspaper, pamphlet, or legal document, rag would be an easy choice. In the case of paper, this is partly because of physical resemblance to fabric, and partly because rags were (and sometimes are) used to make paper.






share|improve this answer
































    1














    In the 13th century in Europe paper was made from pulping rags, a process developed in the Netherlands. This may have had some influence. Think of Rag week. College magazines were often named 'Rag'.






    share|improve this answer
































      0














      At my work we literally use newspapers as rags because unlike paper towels they're cheaper, more absorbent, and don't smear glass.






      share|improve this answer






























        0














        I came across this thread because I'm trying to understand the lines of Donne's poem The Sunne Rising: "Love, all alike, no season knowes, nor clyme, Nor houres, dayes, moneths, which are the rags of time." I get that rag can mean any object of contempt, but the word here seems to be suggesting that time is a length of cloth or paper. This doesn't seem right to me. I don't understand why that metaphor would suddenly be introduced into the poem. I was wondering if rag had a more general practical meaning like "thing of no use" or 'redundant thing". Oh no I think I've got it. Of course, a poor miserable creature wears rags, not nice clothes. So time is a pitiable creature in rags. Sorry for bothering you.






        share|improve this answer








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          8 Answers
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          8 Answers
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          2














          The origin of this use of the word goes back to the seventeenth century. The OED’s entry for it comes under the category rag used in ‘Senses relating to something compared to a torn piece of cloth’. It is quite possible that early newspapers bore just such a resemblance.






          share|improve this answer























          • -1; I think you haven't clearly spelled out what the OED said vs what is speculation on your part. Also, are newspapers mentioned in that “category rag used in ‘Senses ...’” section? What entry or heading did you refer to?

            – James Waldby - jwpat7
            Sep 13 '12 at 7:32







          • 2





            @jwpat7 Actually, it goes a long way to explaining the history of the term which I was curious in :)

            – Fluffeh
            Sep 13 '12 at 10:37















          2














          The origin of this use of the word goes back to the seventeenth century. The OED’s entry for it comes under the category rag used in ‘Senses relating to something compared to a torn piece of cloth’. It is quite possible that early newspapers bore just such a resemblance.






          share|improve this answer























          • -1; I think you haven't clearly spelled out what the OED said vs what is speculation on your part. Also, are newspapers mentioned in that “category rag used in ‘Senses ...’” section? What entry or heading did you refer to?

            – James Waldby - jwpat7
            Sep 13 '12 at 7:32







          • 2





            @jwpat7 Actually, it goes a long way to explaining the history of the term which I was curious in :)

            – Fluffeh
            Sep 13 '12 at 10:37













          2












          2








          2







          The origin of this use of the word goes back to the seventeenth century. The OED’s entry for it comes under the category rag used in ‘Senses relating to something compared to a torn piece of cloth’. It is quite possible that early newspapers bore just such a resemblance.






          share|improve this answer













          The origin of this use of the word goes back to the seventeenth century. The OED’s entry for it comes under the category rag used in ‘Senses relating to something compared to a torn piece of cloth’. It is quite possible that early newspapers bore just such a resemblance.







          share|improve this answer












          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer










          answered Sep 13 '12 at 6:09









          Barrie EnglandBarrie England

          129k10205354




          129k10205354












          • -1; I think you haven't clearly spelled out what the OED said vs what is speculation on your part. Also, are newspapers mentioned in that “category rag used in ‘Senses ...’” section? What entry or heading did you refer to?

            – James Waldby - jwpat7
            Sep 13 '12 at 7:32







          • 2





            @jwpat7 Actually, it goes a long way to explaining the history of the term which I was curious in :)

            – Fluffeh
            Sep 13 '12 at 10:37

















          • -1; I think you haven't clearly spelled out what the OED said vs what is speculation on your part. Also, are newspapers mentioned in that “category rag used in ‘Senses ...’” section? What entry or heading did you refer to?

            – James Waldby - jwpat7
            Sep 13 '12 at 7:32







          • 2





            @jwpat7 Actually, it goes a long way to explaining the history of the term which I was curious in :)

            – Fluffeh
            Sep 13 '12 at 10:37
















          -1; I think you haven't clearly spelled out what the OED said vs what is speculation on your part. Also, are newspapers mentioned in that “category rag used in ‘Senses ...’” section? What entry or heading did you refer to?

          – James Waldby - jwpat7
          Sep 13 '12 at 7:32






          -1; I think you haven't clearly spelled out what the OED said vs what is speculation on your part. Also, are newspapers mentioned in that “category rag used in ‘Senses ...’” section? What entry or heading did you refer to?

          – James Waldby - jwpat7
          Sep 13 '12 at 7:32





          2




          2





          @jwpat7 Actually, it goes a long way to explaining the history of the term which I was curious in :)

          – Fluffeh
          Sep 13 '12 at 10:37





          @jwpat7 Actually, it goes a long way to explaining the history of the term which I was curious in :)

          – Fluffeh
          Sep 13 '12 at 10:37













          7














          To supplement Barrie England and MετάEd's answers: Etymonline reports that the pejorative term rag, which is used to express or suggest a newspaper's worthlessness, dates back to the 18th century.




          rag (n.) scrap of cloth, early 14c., probably from Old Norse rögg "shaggy tuft," earlier raggw-, or possibly from Old Danish rag, or a back-formation from ragged, […] As an insulting term for "newspaper, magazine" it dates from 1734




          The first British newspapers were actually called gazettes after the Italian gazzetta, which in turn is said to derive from the Italian word for magpie (la gazza ladra). And one of the first and oldest surviving British “newspapers” is called The London Gazette. It was first printed on 7 November 1665 under the name of The Oxford Gazette.



          The first general-interest magazine was The Gentleman's Magazine, first published in 1731, in London. Whether this magazine or subsequent periodicals inspired the epithet rag (documented three years later), is not known. It might have been an ironic term used by its own readers, or a gratuitous insult by its opponents, there's no way of knowing for sure.



          Poor paper quality not writing



          From an article published by the same magazine, in 1823, the following extract supports the theory that the term rag was used to refer to the main component of a newspaper, and perhaps, initially, to the substandard quality of the paper used in printing these journals etc. during the 18th and 19th century.




          It is notorious that the great mass of printing papers are now made of cotton rags; and that to produce a better colour, the pulp undergoes a chemical process, which materially injures its durability —EDIT




          A reader writes:




          Allow me to call the attention of your readers to the present state of that wretched compound called Paper. Every printer will corroborate my testimony † and I am only astonished that the interesting question has been so long neglected and forgotten. It is a duty however of the most imperative description our beautiful Religion our Literature our Science all are threatened.



          I have seen letters of a recent date already become a carte blanche. One letter, which I forwarded by post, fell to pieces by the way, and I have noticed more than once a description of writing-paper, that being bent, snapped like a bit of watch-spring. I have in my possession a large copy of the Bible printed at Oxford, 1816 (never used), and issued by the British and Foreign Bible Society, crumbling literally into dust.



          […]



          The causes of destruction are twofold : the materiel and the mode of bleaching the rags.

          The use of cotton rags was very happily superseded by those of linen, yet I fear some manufacturers are not very scrupulous in the selection.

          The application of quicklime to the rags, once prevalent in France, but very properly subsequently interdicted was a serious evil for it actually decomposed the material. Are we entirely guiltless? Such a process must needs disorganize the fibre. […]



          [Emphasis in bold mine]




          The Gentleman's Magazine From July to December, 1823



          Due to the high demand of white paper in the 18th century, the processes employed at the time was responsible for the reduced longevity of paper, as confirmed by BAPH (British Association of Printing Historians)




          Increasing demands for more paper during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries led to shortages of the rags needed to produce the paper. Part of the problem was that no satisfactory method of bleaching pulp had yet been devised, and so only white rags could be used to produce white paper. Chlorine bleaching was being used by the end of the eighteenth century, but excessive use produced papers that were of poor quality and deteriorated quickly. By 1800 up to 24 million lb of rags were being used annually, to produce 10,000 tons of paper in England and Wales, and 1000 tons in Scotland, the home market being supplemented by imports, mainly from the continent. Experiments in using other materials, such as sawdust, rye straw, cabbage stumps and spruce wood had been conducted in 1765 by Jacob Christian Schäffer.







          share|improve this answer

























          • Good (+1) work, Kid!

            – user98990
            Jul 28 '15 at 23:10















          7














          To supplement Barrie England and MετάEd's answers: Etymonline reports that the pejorative term rag, which is used to express or suggest a newspaper's worthlessness, dates back to the 18th century.




          rag (n.) scrap of cloth, early 14c., probably from Old Norse rögg "shaggy tuft," earlier raggw-, or possibly from Old Danish rag, or a back-formation from ragged, […] As an insulting term for "newspaper, magazine" it dates from 1734




          The first British newspapers were actually called gazettes after the Italian gazzetta, which in turn is said to derive from the Italian word for magpie (la gazza ladra). And one of the first and oldest surviving British “newspapers” is called The London Gazette. It was first printed on 7 November 1665 under the name of The Oxford Gazette.



          The first general-interest magazine was The Gentleman's Magazine, first published in 1731, in London. Whether this magazine or subsequent periodicals inspired the epithet rag (documented three years later), is not known. It might have been an ironic term used by its own readers, or a gratuitous insult by its opponents, there's no way of knowing for sure.



          Poor paper quality not writing



          From an article published by the same magazine, in 1823, the following extract supports the theory that the term rag was used to refer to the main component of a newspaper, and perhaps, initially, to the substandard quality of the paper used in printing these journals etc. during the 18th and 19th century.




          It is notorious that the great mass of printing papers are now made of cotton rags; and that to produce a better colour, the pulp undergoes a chemical process, which materially injures its durability —EDIT




          A reader writes:




          Allow me to call the attention of your readers to the present state of that wretched compound called Paper. Every printer will corroborate my testimony † and I am only astonished that the interesting question has been so long neglected and forgotten. It is a duty however of the most imperative description our beautiful Religion our Literature our Science all are threatened.



          I have seen letters of a recent date already become a carte blanche. One letter, which I forwarded by post, fell to pieces by the way, and I have noticed more than once a description of writing-paper, that being bent, snapped like a bit of watch-spring. I have in my possession a large copy of the Bible printed at Oxford, 1816 (never used), and issued by the British and Foreign Bible Society, crumbling literally into dust.



          […]



          The causes of destruction are twofold : the materiel and the mode of bleaching the rags.

          The use of cotton rags was very happily superseded by those of linen, yet I fear some manufacturers are not very scrupulous in the selection.

          The application of quicklime to the rags, once prevalent in France, but very properly subsequently interdicted was a serious evil for it actually decomposed the material. Are we entirely guiltless? Such a process must needs disorganize the fibre. […]



          [Emphasis in bold mine]




          The Gentleman's Magazine From July to December, 1823



          Due to the high demand of white paper in the 18th century, the processes employed at the time was responsible for the reduced longevity of paper, as confirmed by BAPH (British Association of Printing Historians)




          Increasing demands for more paper during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries led to shortages of the rags needed to produce the paper. Part of the problem was that no satisfactory method of bleaching pulp had yet been devised, and so only white rags could be used to produce white paper. Chlorine bleaching was being used by the end of the eighteenth century, but excessive use produced papers that were of poor quality and deteriorated quickly. By 1800 up to 24 million lb of rags were being used annually, to produce 10,000 tons of paper in England and Wales, and 1000 tons in Scotland, the home market being supplemented by imports, mainly from the continent. Experiments in using other materials, such as sawdust, rye straw, cabbage stumps and spruce wood had been conducted in 1765 by Jacob Christian Schäffer.







          share|improve this answer

























          • Good (+1) work, Kid!

            – user98990
            Jul 28 '15 at 23:10













          7












          7








          7







          To supplement Barrie England and MετάEd's answers: Etymonline reports that the pejorative term rag, which is used to express or suggest a newspaper's worthlessness, dates back to the 18th century.




          rag (n.) scrap of cloth, early 14c., probably from Old Norse rögg "shaggy tuft," earlier raggw-, or possibly from Old Danish rag, or a back-formation from ragged, […] As an insulting term for "newspaper, magazine" it dates from 1734




          The first British newspapers were actually called gazettes after the Italian gazzetta, which in turn is said to derive from the Italian word for magpie (la gazza ladra). And one of the first and oldest surviving British “newspapers” is called The London Gazette. It was first printed on 7 November 1665 under the name of The Oxford Gazette.



          The first general-interest magazine was The Gentleman's Magazine, first published in 1731, in London. Whether this magazine or subsequent periodicals inspired the epithet rag (documented three years later), is not known. It might have been an ironic term used by its own readers, or a gratuitous insult by its opponents, there's no way of knowing for sure.



          Poor paper quality not writing



          From an article published by the same magazine, in 1823, the following extract supports the theory that the term rag was used to refer to the main component of a newspaper, and perhaps, initially, to the substandard quality of the paper used in printing these journals etc. during the 18th and 19th century.




          It is notorious that the great mass of printing papers are now made of cotton rags; and that to produce a better colour, the pulp undergoes a chemical process, which materially injures its durability —EDIT




          A reader writes:




          Allow me to call the attention of your readers to the present state of that wretched compound called Paper. Every printer will corroborate my testimony † and I am only astonished that the interesting question has been so long neglected and forgotten. It is a duty however of the most imperative description our beautiful Religion our Literature our Science all are threatened.



          I have seen letters of a recent date already become a carte blanche. One letter, which I forwarded by post, fell to pieces by the way, and I have noticed more than once a description of writing-paper, that being bent, snapped like a bit of watch-spring. I have in my possession a large copy of the Bible printed at Oxford, 1816 (never used), and issued by the British and Foreign Bible Society, crumbling literally into dust.



          […]



          The causes of destruction are twofold : the materiel and the mode of bleaching the rags.

          The use of cotton rags was very happily superseded by those of linen, yet I fear some manufacturers are not very scrupulous in the selection.

          The application of quicklime to the rags, once prevalent in France, but very properly subsequently interdicted was a serious evil for it actually decomposed the material. Are we entirely guiltless? Such a process must needs disorganize the fibre. […]



          [Emphasis in bold mine]




          The Gentleman's Magazine From July to December, 1823



          Due to the high demand of white paper in the 18th century, the processes employed at the time was responsible for the reduced longevity of paper, as confirmed by BAPH (British Association of Printing Historians)




          Increasing demands for more paper during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries led to shortages of the rags needed to produce the paper. Part of the problem was that no satisfactory method of bleaching pulp had yet been devised, and so only white rags could be used to produce white paper. Chlorine bleaching was being used by the end of the eighteenth century, but excessive use produced papers that were of poor quality and deteriorated quickly. By 1800 up to 24 million lb of rags were being used annually, to produce 10,000 tons of paper in England and Wales, and 1000 tons in Scotland, the home market being supplemented by imports, mainly from the continent. Experiments in using other materials, such as sawdust, rye straw, cabbage stumps and spruce wood had been conducted in 1765 by Jacob Christian Schäffer.







          share|improve this answer















          To supplement Barrie England and MετάEd's answers: Etymonline reports that the pejorative term rag, which is used to express or suggest a newspaper's worthlessness, dates back to the 18th century.




          rag (n.) scrap of cloth, early 14c., probably from Old Norse rögg "shaggy tuft," earlier raggw-, or possibly from Old Danish rag, or a back-formation from ragged, […] As an insulting term for "newspaper, magazine" it dates from 1734




          The first British newspapers were actually called gazettes after the Italian gazzetta, which in turn is said to derive from the Italian word for magpie (la gazza ladra). And one of the first and oldest surviving British “newspapers” is called The London Gazette. It was first printed on 7 November 1665 under the name of The Oxford Gazette.



          The first general-interest magazine was The Gentleman's Magazine, first published in 1731, in London. Whether this magazine or subsequent periodicals inspired the epithet rag (documented three years later), is not known. It might have been an ironic term used by its own readers, or a gratuitous insult by its opponents, there's no way of knowing for sure.



          Poor paper quality not writing



          From an article published by the same magazine, in 1823, the following extract supports the theory that the term rag was used to refer to the main component of a newspaper, and perhaps, initially, to the substandard quality of the paper used in printing these journals etc. during the 18th and 19th century.




          It is notorious that the great mass of printing papers are now made of cotton rags; and that to produce a better colour, the pulp undergoes a chemical process, which materially injures its durability —EDIT




          A reader writes:




          Allow me to call the attention of your readers to the present state of that wretched compound called Paper. Every printer will corroborate my testimony † and I am only astonished that the interesting question has been so long neglected and forgotten. It is a duty however of the most imperative description our beautiful Religion our Literature our Science all are threatened.



          I have seen letters of a recent date already become a carte blanche. One letter, which I forwarded by post, fell to pieces by the way, and I have noticed more than once a description of writing-paper, that being bent, snapped like a bit of watch-spring. I have in my possession a large copy of the Bible printed at Oxford, 1816 (never used), and issued by the British and Foreign Bible Society, crumbling literally into dust.



          […]



          The causes of destruction are twofold : the materiel and the mode of bleaching the rags.

          The use of cotton rags was very happily superseded by those of linen, yet I fear some manufacturers are not very scrupulous in the selection.

          The application of quicklime to the rags, once prevalent in France, but very properly subsequently interdicted was a serious evil for it actually decomposed the material. Are we entirely guiltless? Such a process must needs disorganize the fibre. […]



          [Emphasis in bold mine]




          The Gentleman's Magazine From July to December, 1823



          Due to the high demand of white paper in the 18th century, the processes employed at the time was responsible for the reduced longevity of paper, as confirmed by BAPH (British Association of Printing Historians)




          Increasing demands for more paper during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries led to shortages of the rags needed to produce the paper. Part of the problem was that no satisfactory method of bleaching pulp had yet been devised, and so only white rags could be used to produce white paper. Chlorine bleaching was being used by the end of the eighteenth century, but excessive use produced papers that were of poor quality and deteriorated quickly. By 1800 up to 24 million lb of rags were being used annually, to produce 10,000 tons of paper in England and Wales, and 1000 tons in Scotland, the home market being supplemented by imports, mainly from the continent. Experiments in using other materials, such as sawdust, rye straw, cabbage stumps and spruce wood had been conducted in 1765 by Jacob Christian Schäffer.








          share|improve this answer














          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer








          edited Jul 29 '15 at 8:41

























          answered Jul 28 '15 at 7:08









          Mari-Lou AMari-Lou A

          62.4k57224463




          62.4k57224463












          • Good (+1) work, Kid!

            – user98990
            Jul 28 '15 at 23:10

















          • Good (+1) work, Kid!

            – user98990
            Jul 28 '15 at 23:10
















          Good (+1) work, Kid!

          – user98990
          Jul 28 '15 at 23:10





          Good (+1) work, Kid!

          – user98990
          Jul 28 '15 at 23:10











          6














          Definition II 7a in the OED says rag is colloquial for:




          A newspaper or magazine, esp. one
          regarded as inferior or worthless.




          It is often used to refer to tabloid newspapers, which some see as a lower form of journalism.






          share|improve this answer


















          • 1





            Generally speaking, when I've refered to a newspaper as a "rag," I've meant it in a disparaging way. +1

            – J.R.
            Sep 14 '12 at 2:12












          • @J.R.: You're answering the question in my comment to the OP's question, thanks.

            – Laure
            Sep 14 '12 at 7:37















          6














          Definition II 7a in the OED says rag is colloquial for:




          A newspaper or magazine, esp. one
          regarded as inferior or worthless.




          It is often used to refer to tabloid newspapers, which some see as a lower form of journalism.






          share|improve this answer


















          • 1





            Generally speaking, when I've refered to a newspaper as a "rag," I've meant it in a disparaging way. +1

            – J.R.
            Sep 14 '12 at 2:12












          • @J.R.: You're answering the question in my comment to the OP's question, thanks.

            – Laure
            Sep 14 '12 at 7:37













          6












          6








          6







          Definition II 7a in the OED says rag is colloquial for:




          A newspaper or magazine, esp. one
          regarded as inferior or worthless.




          It is often used to refer to tabloid newspapers, which some see as a lower form of journalism.






          share|improve this answer













          Definition II 7a in the OED says rag is colloquial for:




          A newspaper or magazine, esp. one
          regarded as inferior or worthless.




          It is often used to refer to tabloid newspapers, which some see as a lower form of journalism.







          share|improve this answer












          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer










          answered Sep 13 '12 at 8:52









          HugoHugo

          58.5k12171271




          58.5k12171271







          • 1





            Generally speaking, when I've refered to a newspaper as a "rag," I've meant it in a disparaging way. +1

            – J.R.
            Sep 14 '12 at 2:12












          • @J.R.: You're answering the question in my comment to the OP's question, thanks.

            – Laure
            Sep 14 '12 at 7:37












          • 1





            Generally speaking, when I've refered to a newspaper as a "rag," I've meant it in a disparaging way. +1

            – J.R.
            Sep 14 '12 at 2:12












          • @J.R.: You're answering the question in my comment to the OP's question, thanks.

            – Laure
            Sep 14 '12 at 7:37







          1




          1





          Generally speaking, when I've refered to a newspaper as a "rag," I've meant it in a disparaging way. +1

          – J.R.
          Sep 14 '12 at 2:12






          Generally speaking, when I've refered to a newspaper as a "rag," I've meant it in a disparaging way. +1

          – J.R.
          Sep 14 '12 at 2:12














          @J.R.: You're answering the question in my comment to the OP's question, thanks.

          – Laure
          Sep 14 '12 at 7:37





          @J.R.: You're answering the question in my comment to the OP's question, thanks.

          – Laure
          Sep 14 '12 at 7:37











          2














          The paper used to publish newspapers is made from a combination of recycled old rags and wood pulp hence the term rag for newspaper






          share|improve this answer























          • Interesting! But can you back up your statement?

            – Mari-Lou A
            Jul 31 '13 at 22:51






          • 1





            OED gives evidence that "rag" came to be used figuratively to mean any small worthless scrap, and this was extended metaphorically to all objects of contempt, not just fabrics and paper but anything: even a person, as early as 1566. Two examples: "that rubbishy rag of a girl" (Ruskin) and "you witch, you ragge, you baggage" (Shakespeare). So while it is natural to assume "rag" refers to a newspaper's raw materials, this is actually the figurative use of "rag" to mean an object of contempt.

            – MetaEd
            Jul 31 '13 at 23:06
















          2














          The paper used to publish newspapers is made from a combination of recycled old rags and wood pulp hence the term rag for newspaper






          share|improve this answer























          • Interesting! But can you back up your statement?

            – Mari-Lou A
            Jul 31 '13 at 22:51






          • 1





            OED gives evidence that "rag" came to be used figuratively to mean any small worthless scrap, and this was extended metaphorically to all objects of contempt, not just fabrics and paper but anything: even a person, as early as 1566. Two examples: "that rubbishy rag of a girl" (Ruskin) and "you witch, you ragge, you baggage" (Shakespeare). So while it is natural to assume "rag" refers to a newspaper's raw materials, this is actually the figurative use of "rag" to mean an object of contempt.

            – MetaEd
            Jul 31 '13 at 23:06














          2












          2








          2







          The paper used to publish newspapers is made from a combination of recycled old rags and wood pulp hence the term rag for newspaper






          share|improve this answer













          The paper used to publish newspapers is made from a combination of recycled old rags and wood pulp hence the term rag for newspaper







          share|improve this answer












          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer










          answered Jul 31 '13 at 22:12









          user48885user48885

          211




          211












          • Interesting! But can you back up your statement?

            – Mari-Lou A
            Jul 31 '13 at 22:51






          • 1





            OED gives evidence that "rag" came to be used figuratively to mean any small worthless scrap, and this was extended metaphorically to all objects of contempt, not just fabrics and paper but anything: even a person, as early as 1566. Two examples: "that rubbishy rag of a girl" (Ruskin) and "you witch, you ragge, you baggage" (Shakespeare). So while it is natural to assume "rag" refers to a newspaper's raw materials, this is actually the figurative use of "rag" to mean an object of contempt.

            – MetaEd
            Jul 31 '13 at 23:06


















          • Interesting! But can you back up your statement?

            – Mari-Lou A
            Jul 31 '13 at 22:51






          • 1





            OED gives evidence that "rag" came to be used figuratively to mean any small worthless scrap, and this was extended metaphorically to all objects of contempt, not just fabrics and paper but anything: even a person, as early as 1566. Two examples: "that rubbishy rag of a girl" (Ruskin) and "you witch, you ragge, you baggage" (Shakespeare). So while it is natural to assume "rag" refers to a newspaper's raw materials, this is actually the figurative use of "rag" to mean an object of contempt.

            – MetaEd
            Jul 31 '13 at 23:06

















          Interesting! But can you back up your statement?

          – Mari-Lou A
          Jul 31 '13 at 22:51





          Interesting! But can you back up your statement?

          – Mari-Lou A
          Jul 31 '13 at 22:51




          1




          1





          OED gives evidence that "rag" came to be used figuratively to mean any small worthless scrap, and this was extended metaphorically to all objects of contempt, not just fabrics and paper but anything: even a person, as early as 1566. Two examples: "that rubbishy rag of a girl" (Ruskin) and "you witch, you ragge, you baggage" (Shakespeare). So while it is natural to assume "rag" refers to a newspaper's raw materials, this is actually the figurative use of "rag" to mean an object of contempt.

          – MetaEd
          Jul 31 '13 at 23:06






          OED gives evidence that "rag" came to be used figuratively to mean any small worthless scrap, and this was extended metaphorically to all objects of contempt, not just fabrics and paper but anything: even a person, as early as 1566. Two examples: "that rubbishy rag of a girl" (Ruskin) and "you witch, you ragge, you baggage" (Shakespeare). So while it is natural to assume "rag" refers to a newspaper's raw materials, this is actually the figurative use of "rag" to mean an object of contempt.

          – MetaEd
          Jul 31 '13 at 23:06












          1














          OED gives evidence that rag came to be used figuratively to mean any small worthless scrap. This figurative use was extended metaphorically to describe any object of contempt, not just fabrics and paper but anything: even a person, as early as 1566. Two examples:




          that rubbishy rag of a girl (Ruskin)




          and




          you witch, you ragge, you baggage (Shakespeare).




          That being said, it is not hard to imagine that when choosing a word to express contempt for a piece of fabric or paper, such as a flag, newspaper, pamphlet, or legal document, rag would be an easy choice. In the case of paper, this is partly because of physical resemblance to fabric, and partly because rags were (and sometimes are) used to make paper.






          share|improve this answer





























            1














            OED gives evidence that rag came to be used figuratively to mean any small worthless scrap. This figurative use was extended metaphorically to describe any object of contempt, not just fabrics and paper but anything: even a person, as early as 1566. Two examples:




            that rubbishy rag of a girl (Ruskin)




            and




            you witch, you ragge, you baggage (Shakespeare).




            That being said, it is not hard to imagine that when choosing a word to express contempt for a piece of fabric or paper, such as a flag, newspaper, pamphlet, or legal document, rag would be an easy choice. In the case of paper, this is partly because of physical resemblance to fabric, and partly because rags were (and sometimes are) used to make paper.






            share|improve this answer



























              1












              1








              1







              OED gives evidence that rag came to be used figuratively to mean any small worthless scrap. This figurative use was extended metaphorically to describe any object of contempt, not just fabrics and paper but anything: even a person, as early as 1566. Two examples:




              that rubbishy rag of a girl (Ruskin)




              and




              you witch, you ragge, you baggage (Shakespeare).




              That being said, it is not hard to imagine that when choosing a word to express contempt for a piece of fabric or paper, such as a flag, newspaper, pamphlet, or legal document, rag would be an easy choice. In the case of paper, this is partly because of physical resemblance to fabric, and partly because rags were (and sometimes are) used to make paper.






              share|improve this answer















              OED gives evidence that rag came to be used figuratively to mean any small worthless scrap. This figurative use was extended metaphorically to describe any object of contempt, not just fabrics and paper but anything: even a person, as early as 1566. Two examples:




              that rubbishy rag of a girl (Ruskin)




              and




              you witch, you ragge, you baggage (Shakespeare).




              That being said, it is not hard to imagine that when choosing a word to express contempt for a piece of fabric or paper, such as a flag, newspaper, pamphlet, or legal document, rag would be an easy choice. In the case of paper, this is partly because of physical resemblance to fabric, and partly because rags were (and sometimes are) used to make paper.







              share|improve this answer














              share|improve this answer



              share|improve this answer








              edited Aug 1 '13 at 2:38

























              answered Jul 31 '13 at 23:20









              MetaEdMetaEd

              25.5k1371123




              25.5k1371123





















                  1














                  In the 13th century in Europe paper was made from pulping rags, a process developed in the Netherlands. This may have had some influence. Think of Rag week. College magazines were often named 'Rag'.






                  share|improve this answer





























                    1














                    In the 13th century in Europe paper was made from pulping rags, a process developed in the Netherlands. This may have had some influence. Think of Rag week. College magazines were often named 'Rag'.






                    share|improve this answer



























                      1












                      1








                      1







                      In the 13th century in Europe paper was made from pulping rags, a process developed in the Netherlands. This may have had some influence. Think of Rag week. College magazines were often named 'Rag'.






                      share|improve this answer















                      In the 13th century in Europe paper was made from pulping rags, a process developed in the Netherlands. This may have had some influence. Think of Rag week. College magazines were often named 'Rag'.







                      share|improve this answer














                      share|improve this answer



                      share|improve this answer








                      edited Nov 3 '13 at 13:38









                      RegDwigнt

                      83.5k31281382




                      83.5k31281382










                      answered Nov 3 '13 at 10:09









                      angela gilroyangela gilroy

                      111




                      111





















                          0














                          At my work we literally use newspapers as rags because unlike paper towels they're cheaper, more absorbent, and don't smear glass.






                          share|improve this answer



























                            0














                            At my work we literally use newspapers as rags because unlike paper towels they're cheaper, more absorbent, and don't smear glass.






                            share|improve this answer

























                              0












                              0








                              0







                              At my work we literally use newspapers as rags because unlike paper towels they're cheaper, more absorbent, and don't smear glass.






                              share|improve this answer













                              At my work we literally use newspapers as rags because unlike paper towels they're cheaper, more absorbent, and don't smear glass.







                              share|improve this answer












                              share|improve this answer



                              share|improve this answer










                              answered Jan 16 '17 at 6:52









                              DB StevensDB Stevens

                              1




                              1





















                                  0














                                  I came across this thread because I'm trying to understand the lines of Donne's poem The Sunne Rising: "Love, all alike, no season knowes, nor clyme, Nor houres, dayes, moneths, which are the rags of time." I get that rag can mean any object of contempt, but the word here seems to be suggesting that time is a length of cloth or paper. This doesn't seem right to me. I don't understand why that metaphor would suddenly be introduced into the poem. I was wondering if rag had a more general practical meaning like "thing of no use" or 'redundant thing". Oh no I think I've got it. Of course, a poor miserable creature wears rags, not nice clothes. So time is a pitiable creature in rags. Sorry for bothering you.






                                  share|improve this answer








                                  New contributor




                                  Chloe Infanta is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                                  Check out our Code of Conduct.
























                                    0














                                    I came across this thread because I'm trying to understand the lines of Donne's poem The Sunne Rising: "Love, all alike, no season knowes, nor clyme, Nor houres, dayes, moneths, which are the rags of time." I get that rag can mean any object of contempt, but the word here seems to be suggesting that time is a length of cloth or paper. This doesn't seem right to me. I don't understand why that metaphor would suddenly be introduced into the poem. I was wondering if rag had a more general practical meaning like "thing of no use" or 'redundant thing". Oh no I think I've got it. Of course, a poor miserable creature wears rags, not nice clothes. So time is a pitiable creature in rags. Sorry for bothering you.






                                    share|improve this answer








                                    New contributor




                                    Chloe Infanta is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                                    Check out our Code of Conduct.






















                                      0












                                      0








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                                      I came across this thread because I'm trying to understand the lines of Donne's poem The Sunne Rising: "Love, all alike, no season knowes, nor clyme, Nor houres, dayes, moneths, which are the rags of time." I get that rag can mean any object of contempt, but the word here seems to be suggesting that time is a length of cloth or paper. This doesn't seem right to me. I don't understand why that metaphor would suddenly be introduced into the poem. I was wondering if rag had a more general practical meaning like "thing of no use" or 'redundant thing". Oh no I think I've got it. Of course, a poor miserable creature wears rags, not nice clothes. So time is a pitiable creature in rags. Sorry for bothering you.






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                                      I came across this thread because I'm trying to understand the lines of Donne's poem The Sunne Rising: "Love, all alike, no season knowes, nor clyme, Nor houres, dayes, moneths, which are the rags of time." I get that rag can mean any object of contempt, but the word here seems to be suggesting that time is a length of cloth or paper. This doesn't seem right to me. I don't understand why that metaphor would suddenly be introduced into the poem. I was wondering if rag had a more general practical meaning like "thing of no use" or 'redundant thing". Oh no I think I've got it. Of course, a poor miserable creature wears rags, not nice clothes. So time is a pitiable creature in rags. Sorry for bothering you.







                                      share|improve this answer








                                      New contributor




                                      Chloe Infanta is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                                      Check out our Code of Conduct.









                                      share|improve this answer



                                      share|improve this answer






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                                      answered 6 hours ago









                                      Chloe InfantaChloe Infanta

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                                      Chloe Infanta is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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                                      Chloe Infanta is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                                      Check out our Code of Conduct.






                                      Chloe Infanta is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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