Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a coarse, dismissive, jeering noise.

c.1880		Sporting Times n.p.: The tongue is inserted in the left cheek and forced through the lips, producing a peculiarly squashy noise that is extremely irritating. It is termed, I believe, a raspberry, and [...] is regarded rather as an expression of contempt than of admiration [F&H].
1885		Bulletin (Sydney) 1 Aug. 9/1: Mr. Thornton’s performance [...] is quite inimitable. You can believe this. Though, having a heart about the size of a bank-clerk’s lunch, we have acquired somewhat a reputation for ‘laying on the raspberry.’.
1899		A. Binstead Gal’s Gossip 144: A loud and offensive noise, like the rending of glazed calico, made by obtruding the wet tongue between the closed lips, and by low cabmen and persons of that class, called a ‘raspberry’.
1901		W.A. Sun. Times (Perth) 27 Oct. 1/1: A telephonic tête-à-tête was last week interrupted by the rightful recipient of the ‘raspberry’.
1908		Sporting Times 4 Jan. 4/3: ‘What is a “mixed reception,” dad?’ [...] ‘It’s something like that ice you’re wolfing. [...] Half cream, and half “raspberry”!’.
1915		T. Burke Nights in Town 307: The humorist answered them by a gesture known in polite circles as a ‘raspberry’.
1918		Eve. World (NY) 2 May 20/2: When the Hohenzollerns Stepped Out to Slip the World the Old Razzberry They Forgot That There Is Many a Skid Between the Chinaware and the Chin.
1921		Eve. World (NY) 24 May 21/8: Three cheers for Peoria. Nine razzberries and a blind tiger.
1921		N.Y. Times 4 July 15: There is many a ‘razzberry’ patch along the trail which a hero must tread and Kelly is not making home runs with the frequency that marked his Spring playing. Steel eh? You said a mouthful.
1923		E. O’Neill Hairy Ape Act VI: Give him the boid, fellers – the raspberry.
1929		H.C. Witwer Yes Man’s Land 159: The disgusted crowd’s giving the bout the razzberry.
1936		K. Mackenzie Living Rough 39: It would only give the razz-berry specialists a chance to sound off.
1938		F.D. Sharpe Sharpe of the Flying Squad 185: As I passed by them [...] they all blew raspberries.
1940		F. Sargeson ‘A Pair of Socks’ in A Man And His Wife (1944) 65: She’d just give him a raspberry.
1942		W. Winchell On Broadway 19 Mar. [synd. col.] When she finally married him, she really got the razzberries.
1943		R. Llewellyn None But the Lonely Heart 283: Taz give him a big raspo through the busted window.
1951		Cusack & James Come in Spinner (1960) 288: ‘Parra!’ Betty gave a loud raspberry.
1953		S. Bellow Augie March (1996) 174: Obscene lip sounds and razzberries.
1961		K. Vonnegut ‘Find Me a Dream’ in Bagombo Snuff Box (1999) 235: The demoralized, ramshackle little band [...] ended a number with razzberries and squeals.
1972		C. Bukowski Erections, Ejaculations etc. 441: Champions get the razzberry; the crowd aches to see them get knocked off.
1979		Lette & Carey Puberty Blues 114: Letting out a loud raspberry, she stabbed the air savagely with an ‘up-yours’ gesture.
1983		S. King Christine 454: I [...] plopped down beside her. The cushions sighed. It wasn’t a raspberry, but it was close.
1985		R.G. Barrett You Wouldn’t Be Dead for Quids (1989) 192: A rather loud raspberry came vibrating through the crack [of the door].
1992		Randolph & Legman Ozark Folksongs and Folklore I 419: ‘Take this my friend!’ is accompanied by the insulting sound of a ‘mouth-fart’ or ‘Bronx cheer’ or razz(berry).
2001		(con. 1975–6) E. Little Steel Toes 61: Red [...] blows a raspberry at me before continuing his babble as we pass Smith.
2023		R. Milward Man-Eating Typewriter 34: If I had any intellect at all I expressed it only in [...] burped raspberries.

2. with ref. to the colour.

3. a rejection, dismissal.

1917		‘Argot of Vaudeville’ in N.Y. Times 23 Dec. 38: It was an English dancer of this type who first spoke to me of ‘getting the bird’ and ‘the raspberry,’ both phrases meaning forcibly expressed dislike on the part of the audience.
1919		Wodehouse Damsel in Distress (1961) 56: Convict son totters up the steps of the old home and punches the bell. What awaits him beyond? Forgiveness? Or the raspberry?
1927		H.C. Witwer Classics in Sl. 74: As usual the customer tries his hand at makin’ a date with Ethel and as usual he gets the raspberry.
1929		W. Winchell Your Broadway & Mine 4 Apr. [synd. col.] Herb Williams [...] went through same form of razzberry [i.e. audience heckling] when he recently played in Germany.
1939		P. Cheyney Don’t Get Me Wrong (1956) 50: She had enough dough to scram inta U.S. territory an’ send a right royal raspberry to her husband by registered post.
1948		C. Day Lewis Otterbury Incident 54: Of course they got a raspberry sometimes.

4. (US) a failure, a disappointment.

1918

Eve. World (NY) 21 Oct. 10/7: They [...] introduced the bunch to a complete set of artillery horses. I sure drew a razzberry. I got a nag with an awful nervous backbone.

5. (drugs) a woman or man who trades sex for crack cocaine or money to buy the drug [? var. on strawberry n. (5) or pun on abbr. raspberry tart, i.e. tart n. (2)].

2008		parentingteens.about.com 🌐 Raspberry, female who trades sex for crack or money to buy crack.
2008		‘Crack-House Lingo’ on www.zombie-popcorn.com 🌐 Raspberry – A male who exchanges sex for crack in a crack house.