Make Your Point > Archived Issues > RAGGEDY
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pronounce
RAGGEDY:
Say it "RAG uh dee."
To hear it, click here.
connect this word to others:
As we check out the fun, slangy word raggedy, let's recall some synonyms that, like raggedy, are great for describing messes and messiness.
1. Something fr__sy smells stale or musty or looks messy, dirty, sloppy, or unwashed.
2. Something sl__enly looks sloppy, dirty, untidy, or unclean, as if lacking in manners or morals.
3. Something sl__sh__ is sloppy and careless in a way that reminds you of someone shuffling around awkwardly in loose shoes.
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
definition:
Rags are bits of old, damaged clothes that are ripping off or falling off.
And so, something raggedy (or, more formally, something ragged) is rough, shaggy, irregular, or imperfect in a way that reminds you of rip-up bits of clothes (or messy clumps of animal fur).
grammatical bits:
Part of speech:
Adjective: "this raggedy blanket," "that raggedy apartment."
Other forms:
The formal equivalent is "ragged," and its other forms are "raggedness" and "raggedly."
how to use it:
"Raggedy" is a slangy, semi-common word. It's a fun alternative to more serious synonyms like "frayed," "tattered," "threadbare," and "unkempt."
Because many people associate this word with the lovable characters Raggedy Anne and Raggedy Andy, it can take on a somewhat positive tone, suggesting that the shabbiness is cute and endearing, maybe the result of long years of use and love.
But, "raggedy" can just as easily be a neutral or negative description.
You might talk about raggedy hair, clothes, trees, rooms, buildings, vehicles, roads, bridges, etc.
Or you might get figurative and talk about someone's raggedy plan or memory, someone's raggedy athletic or musical performance, or someone's raggedy grasp of the multiplication tables (probably mine).
You might refer to people as literally raggedy, as in "a raggedy crowd of children with dirty faces and torn shirts." Or you might refer to people as figuratively raggedy, implying that their speech, behavior, or lifestyle is rough and worn-out. Or you might both literal and figurative! Here's the AP, reviewing a movie: "The Darlings are a raggedy American family living in the Deep South and surviving by slinging eggs and coffee in a diner."
examples:
"She came back grinning her horsey grin, her hair all tangled and her clothes covered in mud, clutching a raggedy bunch of purple and green flowers for Father."
— George R. R. Martin, A Game of Thrones, 1996
"All of us kids were scrawny and sunburned and wore faded shorts and raggedy shirts and sneakers with holes or no shoes at all."
— Jeannette Walls, The Glass Castle, 2005
has this page helped you understand "raggedy"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "raggedy" without saying "shabby" or "dilapidated."
try it out:
In Forbes, Roger Kay wrote:
"If a company builds a piece of code badly, it can't just layer on more programming to repair the damage... You don't just patch a 100-story building that's all raggedy and creaking in the wind. You have to tear it down and start over again."
Talk about what he means. Could you also think of another example of something raggedy, literally or figuratively, that can't be repaired and must be replaced?
before you review, play:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
Our game this month: It Sounds Wiser in Latin.
Try matching a handful of Latin phrases to their English translations. If you need some clues, I'll provide them in the form of definitions of related words. Enjoy!
Try these today:
1. audi, vide, tace, si vis vivere in pace
2. contra malum mortis, non est medicamen in hortis
3. et nati natorum, et qui nascentur ab illis
4. frustra fit per plura, quod fieri potest per pauciora
5. in mercatura facienda multæ fallaciæ et quasi præstigiæ exercentur
A. against the evil of death there is no remedy in the garden
B. in commerce, many deceptions, not to say juggleries, are practiced
C. it is vain to do by many agencies what may be done by few
D. the children of our children, and those who shall be born of them
E. use your ears and eyes, but hold your tongue, if you would live in peace
To peek at the clues, follow the links:
1. Something nascent is...
2. Vivacity is...
3. A paucity of something is...
review this word:
A. NATTY (stylish in a neat, sharp, smart way).
B. TOPLOFTY (stuck up, acting high and mighty).
C. DOWDY (plain or ugly in a dull, unstylish way).
2.
Baton Rouge must be a bit _____ to have earned its nickname, Big Raggedy.
A. kooky
B. hot and swampy
C. rough around the edges
a final word:
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my blog:
On vocabulary...
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
On writing...
How to improve any sentence.
How to motivate our kids to write.
How to stop procrastinating and start writing.
How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count.
From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.
A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
As we check out the fun, slangy word raggedy, let's recall some synonyms that, like raggedy, are great for describing messes and messiness.
Rags are bits of old, damaged clothes that are ripping off or falling off.
Part of speech:
"Raggedy" is a slangy, semi-common word. It's a fun alternative to more serious synonyms like "frayed," "tattered," "threadbare," and "unkempt."
"She came back grinning her horsey grin, her hair all tangled and her clothes covered in mud, clutching a raggedy bunch of purple and green flowers for Father."
Explain the meaning of "raggedy" without saying "shabby" or "dilapidated."
In Forbes, Roger Kay wrote:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. |
