ragamuffin

plural ragamuffins · alternative raggamuffin

1. A dirty, shabbily-clothed child; an urchin.

   After walking a ways, Jurgis met a little ragamuffin whom he hailed: "Hey, sonny!"

   1905 April–October, Upton Sinclair, chapter XVIII, in The Jungle, New York, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 26 February 1906, →OCLC

   5 more examples

   I haue led my rag of Muffins where they are pepper'd: there's not three of my 150 left aliue; and they for the Townes end, to beg during life.

   c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iii], page 71

   “But may I inquire how you intend to support the establishment? If all the pupils are little ragamuffins, I’m afraid your crop won’t be profitable in a worldly sense, Mrs. Bhaer.”

   1869, Louisa M[ay] Alcott, “Harvest Time”, in Little Women: […], 2nd part, Boston, Mass.: Roberts Brothers, →OCLC, page 348

   "They called her a little blue raggamuffin, father," said Harry, who ran in, looking very angry; "but I have given it to them, they won't insult my sister again.[…]"

   [1877], Anna Sewell, “The Election”, in Black Beauty: […], London: Jarrold and Sons, […], →OCLC, part III, page 206

   'Yes, he is mine—I took him, a homeless little ragamuffin, but I saw what was in him, and I said his name would be heard some day—behold him, observe him—was I right?'

   1882, Mark Twain, chapter 12, in The Prince and the Pauper

   He had found out the house of Frau von Einem without much trouble, and had performed with his ragamuffins in the servants' quarters.

   1916, John Buchan, chapter 15, in Greenmantle

2. slangA hooligan or troublemaker.
3. Alternative letter-case form of Ragamuffin (“a breed of domestic cat”).

plural Ragamuffins

1. A domestic cat of a particular heavy, muscular, short-necked breed.