---
title: rag — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «rag» in the school dictionary: A rag is a piece of old cloth used for cleaning or wiping. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# rag

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** rag, Rags, you, It, Dad, Saying · **What happens:** be, use, wipe, tear, rag, talk · **To what, where:** piece, old cloth, newspaper, someone, rude way, rag · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«rag» in the school dictionary: its 5 meanings for a pupil and its 9 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [rag in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/rag.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A rag is a piece of old cloth used for cleaning or wiping.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rag:m1:1
# text = A rag is a piece of old cloth used for cleaning or wiping.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	rag	rag	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	piece	piece	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	cloth	cloth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
9	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	acl	_	_
10	for	for	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	cleaning	cleaning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	wiping	wipe	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	11	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a rag | a piece |  |  |  | of old cloth | tree rules |
| 2 | **use** | participle |  | old cloth *not said here* |  |  |  | for cleaning | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **wipe** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn wipe\_manner-10.4.1-1 «NP V PP-Conative»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Rags are old, torn clothes.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rag:m2:1
# text = Rags are old, torn clothes.
1	Rags	rag	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
5	torn	tear	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	amod	_	_
6	clothes	clothes	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Rags |  |  |  |  | old *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **tear** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: informal — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A rag is a newspaper of poor quality.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rag:m3:1
# text = A rag is a newspaper of poor quality.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	rag	rag	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	newspaper	newspaper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	poor	poor	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	quality	quality	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a rag | a newspaper |  |  |  | of poor quality | tree rules |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: UK informal — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To rag someone is to tease them.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rag:m4:1
# text = To rag someone is to tease them.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	rag	rag	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
3	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	tease	tease	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **rag** | to-infinitive |  | someone |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus someone=Experiencer |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | tease *property* | tree rules |

## Meaning 5 {#m5}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: US slang — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«On the rag» is a rude way to talk about a period; avoid it.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rag:m5:1
# text = «On the rag» is a rude way to talk about a period; avoid it.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	On	on	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	rag	rag	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	rude	rude	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	talk	talk	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	acl	_	_
12	about	about	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	period	period	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	16	punct	_	_
16	avoid	avoid	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	9	parataxis	_	_
17	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the rag | a rude way |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **talk** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | about a period | vn talk-37.5 «NP V PP.topic»: agent=Agent about period=Topic |
| 3 | **avoid** | infinitive |  | rag |  |  |  |  | vn avoid-52 «NP V NP.location»: agent=Agent it=Location |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Wipe the paint off with a rag.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rag:x1:1
# text = Wipe the paint off with a rag.
1	Wipe	wipe	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	paint	paint	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	off	off	ADP	RP	_	1	compound:prt	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	rag	rag	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wipe off** | imperative | you *not said here* | the paint |  |  |  | with a rag | vn wipe\_manner-10.4.1-1 «NP V NP.source»: agent=Agent paint=Source |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The poor boy was dressed in rags.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rag:x2:1
# text = The poor boy was dressed in rags.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	poor	poor	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	boy	boy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	dressed	dress	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	rags	rag	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **dress** | past · passive |  | the poor boy |  | rags |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It's a rags to riches story.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rag:x3:1
# text = It's a rags to riches story.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	rags	rag	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	riches	rich	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	compound	_	_
7	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | a rags |  |  |  | to riches story | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dad used an oily rag to clean the bike.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rag:x4:1
# text = Dad used an oily rag to clean the bike.
1	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	used	use	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	oily	oily	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	rag	rag	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	clean	clean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	bike	bike	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | past | Dad | a oily rag |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent rag=Patient |
| 2 | **clean** | to-infinitive | Dad *not said here* | the bike |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent bike=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
(UK) Don't lose your rag over a game.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rag:x5:1
# text = (UK) Don't lose your rag over a game.
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	UK	UK	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	2	punct	_	_
4	Do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	6	advmod	_	_
6	lose	lose	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	rag	rag	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	over	over	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	game	game	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **lose** | present · do-support |  | UK |  | a game |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent rag=Eventuality |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Saying that to her is like a red rag to a bull.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rag:x6:1
# text = Saying that to her is like a red rag to a bull.
1	Saying	say	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	9	csubj	_	_
2	that	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	1	obj	_	_
3	to	to	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	1	obl	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
6	like	like	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	red	red	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	rag	rag	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
10	to	to	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	bull	bull	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | gerund |  | that | her *= she* |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent that=Topic to she=Recipient |
| 2 | **is** | present | Saying |  |  |  |  | like a red rag; to a bull | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
(informal) Grandad called the newspaper a rag.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rag:x7:1
# text = (informal) Grandad called the newspaper a rag.
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	informal	informal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	2	punct	_	_
4	Grandad	Grandad	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	called	call	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	newspaper	newspaper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	rag	rag	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | past | informal Grandad | the newspaper |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent newspaper=Recipient |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
(UK) The older boys ragged him about his haircut.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rag:x8:1
# text = (UK) The older boys ragged him about his haircut.
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	UK	UK	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	2	punct	_	_
4	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	older	old	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	6	amod	_	_
6	boys	boy	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
7	ragged	rag	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	about	about	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
11	haircut	haircut	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **rag** | past | UK | him *= he* |  |  |  | about UK's haircut | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus he=Experiencer |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It was indeed poverty arrayed in rags.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rag:x9:1
# text = It was indeed poverty arrayed in rags.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	indeed	indeed	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	poverty	poverty	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	arrayed	array	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	acl	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	rags	rag	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | It | poverty |  |  |  | indeed *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **array** | participle |  | poverty *not said here* |  | rags |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
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