ragman roll
ragman's roll
Definition of ragman roll
1 obsolete : a long list (as on a scroll or document) : catalog the whole ragman roll of fasting days — Thomas Nash
2 : a series of rolls of deeds on parchment in which the Scottish nobility and gentry subscribed allegiance to Edward I of England in 1291 and especially in 1296 during Edward's progress through Scotland and at the parliament of Berwick —usually used in plural
Read the Latest from M-W
There's more!
Love words? You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.
Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:
- More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
- Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
- Advanced search features
- Ad free!
Origin and Etymology of ragman roll
Middle English Ragmane rolle, roll used in a medieval game and containing verses describing various characters, from Anglo-French Ragemon le bon, literally, Ragemon the good (from the name of one of the characters serving as title of the verses) + Middle English rolle roll
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up ragman roll? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!