| 释义 |
raggle-taggle, a. and n.|ˈræg(ə)lˌtæg(ə)l|
Also wraggle-taggle.
[App. fanciful var. rag-tag.]
A. adj. Of a group of persons: ragged, rambling, straggling; disreputable, unorganized (freq. used in allusion to the song referred to in quot. 1904). Hence of a person and in extended use of appearance, etc.
1904in Sharp & Marson Folk Songs from Somerset 1st Ser. 19 What care I for my house and my land? What care I for my money, O? What care I for my new wedded lord? I'm off with the wraggle taggle gipsies, O! 1913C. Mackenzie Sinister St. I. i. ii. 29 He made up his mind..that it was better to be a raggle-taggle wanderer than anything else. 1923J. Buchan Midwinter i. 34 My companions are the moor-men and..the raggle-taggle gypsies. 1933W. Starkie Raggle-Taggle ii. 7 It was no easy task to convince my family of my sanity in wishing to follow the raggle-taggle Gypsies. 1936C. Day Lewis Friendly Tree 132 Like the lady who ran away with the wraggle-taggle gipsies. 1942C. Barrett On Wallaby vi. 122 It was a Paddy's market day and a raggle-taggle crowd had gathered to bargain shrewdly and noisily. 1970N. Bawden Birds on Trees v. 83 It's not easy for someone of my generation to accept this raggle-taggle look, we had a bit more self-respect. 1977O. Jacks Autumn Heroes viii. 118 How would you rate your raggle-taggle band of poorly armed warriors?
B. n.
a. A wanderer, a rover.
b. A straggling, unorganized, or disreputable collection of persons.
1933W. Starkie (title) Raggle-taggle. 1958Times 19 Mar. 7/4 President Nasser's permanent Afro-Asian guests—that Cairo raggle-taggle ranging from the permanent representatives of the Algerian National Liberation Front on the one hand to the office of the Deputy Imam of Oman on the other. 1972‘H. Calvin’ Take Two Popes ii. 18 The Curia..considered all non-Italians as an unfortunate raggle-taggle. |