ragman

A ragman pushes his cart through the old neighborhood.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A person who collects or deals in rags: "ragman" refers to a person who gathers and sells discarded cloth or rags, often for recycling or industrial use.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The ragman came by the neighbourhood every Tuesday to collect old clothes and fabric scraps. (A person who collects rags for trade.)
  • In the 19th century, a ragman was a common sight on city streets, buying worn-out textiles. (A historical occupation involving rag collection.)

Advanced Usage

• "Ragman" in historical context: The term was often used in urban settings before modern recycling systems, where a ragman would travel door-to-door or through streets to purchase or gather rags.
  • The ragman's cart was filled with bundles of cloth destined for paper mills. (Rags were used to produce paper in earlier times.)

Variants and Related Words

• Rag (n): a piece of old, torn, or worn cloth.
  • She used a clean rag to wipe the table. (A small piece of fabric for cleaning.)
• Rag trade (n): informal term for the clothing or fashion industry.
  • He worked in the rag trade as a tailor. (The business of making or selling clothes.)

Synonyms

• Junkman: a person who collects and sells discarded items, including rags.
• Scrap collector: someone who gathers waste materials for recycling.

Related Idioms

• "Ragman's roll": a historical term for a list or catalogue, often used in legal or medieval contexts (not commonly used today).
  • The king's officials consulted the ragman's roll to record debts. (A formal document or register.)