rag

(noun) a small piece of cloth or paper. Synonyms: shred, tag, tag end, tatter.

(noun) a week at British universities during which side-shows and processions of floats are organized to raise money for charities. Synonyms: rag week.

(noun) music with a syncopated melody (usually for the piano). Synonyms: ragtime.

(noun) newspaper with half-size pages. Synonyms: tabloid, sheet.

(noun) a boisterous practical joke (especially by college students).

(verb) treat cruelly. Synonyms: torment, bedevil, crucify, dun, frustrate. Examples: "The children tormented the stuttering teacher."

(verb) cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations. Synonyms: annoy, get to, bother, get at, irritate, rile, nark, nettle, gravel, vex, chafe, devil. Examples: "Mosquitoes buzzing in my ear really bothers me." "It irritates me that she never closes the door after she leaves."

(verb) play in ragtime. Examples: "Rag that old tune."

(verb) harass with persistent criticism or carping. Synonyms: tease, razz, cod, tantalize, tantalise, bait, taunt, twit, rally, ride. Examples: "The children teased the new teacher." "Don't ride me so hard over my failure." "His fellow workers razzed him when he wore a jacket and tie."

(verb) censure severely or angrily. Synonyms: call on the carpet, take to task, rebuke, trounce, reproof, lecture, reprimand, jaw, dress down, call down, scold, chide, berate, bawl out, remonstrate, chew out, chew up, have words, lambaste, lambast. Examples: "The mother scolded the child for entering a stranger's car." "The deputy ragged the prime minister." "The customer dressed down the waiter for bringing cold soup."

(verb) break into lumps before sorting. Examples: "Rag ore."