riffraff


Also found in: Thesaurus, Idioms, Wikipedia.

riff·raff

(rĭf′răf′)
n.
1. People regarded as disreputable or worthless.
2. Rubbish; trash.
[Late Middle English riffe raffe, from Middle English rif and raf, everything, one and all, rubbish, rabble, ultimately (if the expression was not coined in Middle English from elements of French origin and then borrowed by Middle French) from Middle French and Anglo-Norman rifraf, rif et raf, altogether, as in emporter rif et raf, to take away everything, probably a reduplicated formation from Middle French rifler, to plunder (from Old French to brush up against, scratch; see rifle2) and Middle French rafer, to remove or make off with forcefully (from Old French, of Germanic origin; akin to Middle Dutch rapen, to gather, collect, and Middle High German raffen, to snatch, rip off).]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

riffraff

(ˈrɪfˌræf)
n (sometimes functioning as plural)
1. worthless people, esp collectively; rabble
2. dialect worthless rubbish
[C15 rif and raf, from Old French rif et raf; related to rifler to plunder, and rafle a sweeping up; see rifle2, raffle]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

riff•raff

(ˈrɪfˌræf)

n.
1. disreputable people.
2. the lowest classes; rabble.
3. trash; rubbish.
[1425–75; late Middle English rif and raf every particle, things of small value < Old French rif et raf]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

riffraff

- Rif/riff, "spoil, strip," and raf, "carry off," combined as rif et raf in French, then went to English as riff and raff, "everything, every scrap," and then riffraff.
See also related terms for scrap.
Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.riffraff - disparaging terms for the common people
ragtag, ragtag and bobtail, rabble
common people, folk, folks - people in general (often used in the plural); "they're just country folk"; "folks around here drink moonshine"; "the common people determine the group character and preserve its customs from one generation to the next"
scum, trash - worthless people
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

riffraff

noun
A group of persons regarded as the lowest class:
dreg (often used in plural), lumpenproletariat, rabble, ragtag and bobtail, trash.
Slang: scum.
Idioms: scum of the earth, tag and rag, the great unwashed.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations

riffraff

n → Pöbel m, → Gesindel nt
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

riffraff

[ˈrɪfˌræf] n → gentaglia, canaglia
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
Mentioned in ?
References in classic literature ?
He scoffed at them as adventures, mountebanks, sideshow riffraff, dime museum freaks; he assailed their showy titles with measureless derision; he said they were back-alley barbers disguised as nobilities, peanut peddlers masquerading as gentlemen, organ-grinders bereft of their brother monkey.
View in context
All the riffraff of the kingdom seemed to be comprehended in it; and all drunk at that.
View in context
He would entertain there the factor of Taiohae, captains of wandering traders, and all the best of the South Pacific riffraff. He would keep open house and entertain like a prince.
View in context
There was a club in those days in Papeete, where the pearlers, traders, captains, and riffraff of South Sea adventurers forgathered.
View in context
When I shared my park vision at a recent public forum, a nice city planner politely opined that it's the absolute worst place for a park because of the riffraff factor.
LETTERS IN THE EDITOR'S MAILBAG
They are certainly not riffraff and nearly all I have met have been unstinting in praising the project and the good impression it is helping to create of Merseyside.
Letter: COMMENT & ANALYSIS - An incentive to clean the beach; LETTERS to the EDITOR
Maybe bookmakers think P aul is going to suffer more heckling from American fans, but they don't let riffraff into Augusta and anyone who speaks out of line will be shown the exit.
Golf: Big-hi tting South African duo well equipped t o hunt down Green Jack et
Van Hoogstraten himself once suggested the pursuit of wealth was 'to separate oneself from the riffraff' and in his own terms he has been very successful.
Tycoon cleared of killing after judge's blunder
Shouldn't all of us be entitled to express our opinions about the riffraff streaming in?
Man Of The People: Asylum madness
riffraff is generally on the button, without too much obvious mugging.
The Disappearance of Kevin Johnson
till angry as he enters his fourth decade of filmmaking, and not at all cynical, Ken Loach returns to the screen with RiffRaff, a bracing near-comedy about construction workers in Thatcherera London.
Alive
They said a Junior League member should have been in the decorated rooms watching for any light-fingered riffraff. Visitors paid at least $10 to view several homes in the area.
Bah, humbug

Dictionary browser ?
Full browser ?