shiney rag
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
"to win the SHINEY RAG," to be ruined,—said in gambling, when any one continues betting after "luck has set in against him."
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “shiney rag” mean?
"to win the SHINEY RAG," to be ruined,—said in gambling, when any one continues betting after "luck has set in against him."
Is “shiney rag” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.