ragtag and bobtail

noun

: rabble

Synonyms

• proletariat
• rabble
• rabblement
• riffraff
• rout
• scum
• tag, rag, and bobtail
• tagrag and bobtail
• trash
• unwashed

Examples of ragtag and bobtail in a Sentence

locals complained that rental housing would attract the ragtag and bobtail to their well-groomed suburb

Word History

Etymology

rag entry 1 + tag entry 1

First Known Use

1725, in the meaning defined above