Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (Aus.) rabble-rousing oratory.

1861

Freeman’s Jrnl (Sydney) 6 Mar. 6/3: There were a certain number of what, in expressive slang, are called ‘raws,’ [...] which every wretched little pothouse orator [...] could declaim about to an ignorant audience in search of excitement.

2. whisky.

1850		W.C. Hall ‘Mike Hooter’s Bar Story’ Spirit of the Times 26 Jan. (N.Y.) 581: I told my gal Sal to fill my privit tickler full o’ the old ‘raw’.
1855		Broadway Belle (NY) 5 Mar. n.p.: While taking our ‘raw’ at Taylor’s with two of our fair Lady contributors.

3. (UK Und.) neat gin.

1865

Leaves from Diary of Celebrated Burglar 57/2: [He] rose to make a speech, first emptying a half-quartern glass of the ‘raw’ into his maw.

4. in pl., the bare fists, as used in street-fighting.

1899

C. Rook Hooligan Nights 17: He is better with the raws, and is very bad to tackle in a street row.

5. (drugs) crack cocaine, prior to being packaged for sale, that has not been adulterated or ‘cut’.

2001		ONDCP Street Terms 18: Raw — Crack Cocaine.
2016		67 ‘Milly Rock’ 🎵 Bros got T that's raw and I just got stones for the 4s.
2022		Digga D. ‘Hold It Down’ 🎵 Left the money on the table, but she got rid of the raw.

6. (US drugs) uncut heroin.

2020

Woods & Soderburg I Got a Monster 12: Jenkins could nab the lowliest street dealer with a single gel cap of heroin one day and have the kingpin supplying the raw the next.

7. see Johnny Raw n.