rag-and-bone man en · NOUN
Meanings
-
(Ireland, UK) A man who deals in scrap metal and recycled junk (originally including rags and bones, in earlier centuries).
Horses and carts are never seen now and the rag and bone man is no more. In the fifties there were still those who made a living from old clothes, especially those made from natural fibres and suitable for felting.
2009 November 24, David Fowler, NATIONAL SERVICE, ELVIS and ME!, Lulu.com, →ISBN, page 98:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| rag-and-bone men | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Relateds
waste picker · rag paper · dustman · ashman · bone meal · bone ash
Synonyms
scrappie · scrapper · bone-picker · ragman · bone-grubber · ragpicker