The common people as distinct from the nobility and clergy, often viewed as an estate of the realm (see estate, n. 6a). Cf. commons, n. 1a 4a. Obs…

collective. Those people forming the lowest social class; the common people; the rabble. Also: the common soldiers or camp followers of an army…

collective = rascal, n. 1.

With the. The majority of people; spec. the lowest class of people; the rabble. Cf. rabble rout, n. 2. Now rare.

esp. in collocation with rag, n.2 11: tag and rag (depreciative) all the components of the masses or those of lower social status; a gathering of…

With the. The dregs or lowest element of a community, class, etc.

With the. The lowest class of people; the section of the population which is regarded as socially inferior, uncouth, or disorderly; the mob. Also…

Rascality, rascals collectively.

With the. The socially inferior, uncouth, or disorderly element of the populace or of a particular group or body of people; also without article; =…

figurative and transferred. (Proverbial phrases, to sift to the bran, to take the flour and leave the bran.)

The rascality, the rabble.

The world of rascals; rascals collectively; the rabble. Cf. rascal, n. 1.

With the: the common people; the mob or masses. Also (without article): common people collectively; rabble.

Masses, rabble; = canaille, n. 1.

Rabble; the common people; a mob or pack of people regarded as rabble; = canaille, n.

The masses; people of the lowest social status. Obsolete.

Motley, disorderly, or unruly people; rabble; (as a count noun) an unruly crowd. Also: confusion, disorderliness; a confused state.

The mob; the common crowd.

= rabble, n.1 1c 1d. Now rare (chiefly poetic in later use).

collectively. tag-rag and bob-tail, or tag, rag, and bob-tail: the common herd, the rabble. Also plural. See tag, n.1

The mob, the rabble; the common people, the populace.

The mob, the rabble; the common people; the working classes. Also figurative. Frequently contemptuous (but see quot. 1980). Cf. mobile, n.2

Usually depreciative. With the: the common people; the populace; the masses.

rag-tag (also rag, tag) and bob-tail. A disreputable or disorganized group of people; the lowest element of a community; the riff-raff or rabble; = t…

Used for canaille, n. Obsolete.

= rough scuff, n. 1.

A low, coarse, rough, or disreputable person, a ruffian. Also (with singular or plural agreement): such people collectively; riff-raff, rabble. Cf. r…

The rabble, the riff-raff; also (with plural) a member of the rabble; a low or despicable person. Now rare except as in phrases 1.

Rascals collectively. Cf. rascality, n. 2. rare.

= rascality, n. 2.

figurative. depreciative. In the usage of Carlyle: the rabble, mob. Obsolete.

The common people, the masses. Cf. hoi polloi, n.

A straggling, disorganized, or disreputable group of people; (also) a wanderer, a rover (rare).