ratbagn.
/ˈratbaɡ/, U.S. /ˈrætˌbæɡ/, Australian English /ˈrætbæɡ/, New Zealand English /ˈrɛtbɛɡ/ colloquial (originally Australian, later also British and New Zealand).
A disagreeable, disreputable, or contemptible person or (occasionally) thing, a ‘scumbag’; (also, Australian) a wayward or eccentric person, a crank.Now also used humorously, or in weakened sense, as a mild term of reproof or affectionate form of address.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > harmfulness > harmful mischievousness > harmfully mischievous person > [noun]
disturberc1290
troublera1382
distroublerc1440
disturblerc1440
boutefeu?1584
mischief1586
breed-bate1593
trouble-feast1603
flight-head1605
trouble-rest1605
trouble-house1608
trouble-cupa1610
trouble-state1609
seek-trouble1611
fling-brand1616
trouble-town1619
blow-coal1622
trouble-world1663
mischief-maker1675
fire-sprit1847
firebug1869
ratbag1890
disturbant1894
mixer1938
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > stupid, foolish, or inadequate person > person of weak intellect > [noun] > idiot, crazy person
Jack foolc1405
drivel1478
idiotc1480
nidiot1533
hare-brain1542
hare-copa1566
nidget1579
lunatic1602
flight-head1605
moonling1631
driveller1682
tomfool1683
niddy-noddy1722
imbecile1781
puggle1783
gype1825
eejit1853
nowmun1854
dinlo1873
loon1885
ratbag1890
doughbakea1895
ding-a-ling1899
feeb1914
dingbat1915
bodoh1922
diddy1933
Nimrod1933
pranny1949
momo1953
head-the-ball1958
flake1968
fuckwit1969
tattie-bogle1969
div1975
tube1975
wazzock1976
gonzo1977
motorhead1979
prannet1979
twonk1981
dough ball1983
numpty1985
divvy1987
society > society and the community > dissent > lack of peacefulness > [noun] > persons full of strife > one who causes disturbance or trouble
disturberc1290
troublera1382
distroublerc1440
disturblerc1440
shakebucklera1538
hellcat1603
trouble-feast1603
trouble-rest1605
trouble-house1608
trouble-cupa1610
trouble-state1609
seek-trouble1611
trouble-town1619
trouble-world1663
hellion1845
rowdy1859
bad actor1879
ratbag1890
disturbant1894
trouble-maker1923
performer1937
messer1942
shit-stirrer1961
1890 Quiz & Lantern (Adelaide) 1 Aug. 2/2 The Imperial ratbag amongst us brings these insults upon us.
1937 ‘W. Hatfield’ I find Austral. x. 138 ‘You brought one rat-bag in,’ said Ewens to me, ‘so now do me a favour by taking one off my hands.’
1948 V. Palmer Golconda xiv. 107 Why the hell, Donovan, are you backing that old ratbag, Christy Bangham?
1956 D. M. Davin Sullen Bell i. iii. 19 How did you ratbags get here, a highbrow joint like this?
1967 H. Hunter Case for Punishment ii. 37 Reading all about our little ratbags?.. A lot of kids from this school are involved.
1971 Times 2 Jan. 1/4 We even had nicknames for each other. She used to call me ‘Ratbag’, but it was all in fun.
1987 Courier-Mail (Brisbane) (Nexis) 13 July There was a bomb scare on Saturday night. Some ratbag rang to say there was a bomb on the second floor.
1992 R. Long Under Baobab Tree 153 In Glasgow, Ray had looked stunned when he heard husbands calling to their wives ‘Come on, ratbag!’
2007 Daily News (New Plymouth, N.Z.) (Nexis) 16 Aug. (Features section) 6 I've turned my life around from 17 years ago. I wasn't a ratbag. I just made some wrong decisions.
Compounds
General attributive.
ΚΠ
1949 Charleston (W. Va.) Daily Mail 9 Aug. 20/2 My sort's rat-bag cobbers are turning on a shivoo sarvo.
1954 Coast to Coast 1953–4 172 Or a ratbag watchman who'd run amuck if you breathed on a window.
1955 D. Niland Shiralee 24 And what a ratbag situation, what a story.
1963 Australasian Post (Melbourne) 14 Mar. 51/2 ‘He's not one of your ratbag mob, though, he—.’ That cough again... ‘He's a gentleman, you see.’
1970 N.Z. Listener 12 Oct. 13/2 A bit late to find that out, you snobbish ratbag wowser.
1996 J. T. Hospital Oyster (1997) 342 The bloody ratbag politicians.
Derivatives
ˈratbaggery n.
ΚΠ
1943 S. J. Baker Pop. Dict. Austral. Slang (ed. 3) 64 Ratbag, an unpleasantly disposed or vicious person: a term of contempt, though not always offensive. Whence, ‘ratbaggery’.
2006 Northern Territory (Nexis) 22 Sept. 6 There is an element of ratbaggery going on we will no longer tolerate.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2008; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1890