Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. the buttocks, thus fig. the whole person, esp. as a target for violence.

1980		M. Thelwell Harder They Come 154: Let me go! I gwine kill his raas!
1981		J. Bradner Danny Boy 37: Is I do it, black bay; is I pelt you rass!
1986		R. Hewitt White Talk Black Talk 27: Come on! Move it! Move ya rass! [Ibid.]113: Move! Move ya rass for me!
1990		L. Goodison Baby Mother and King of Swords 43: ‘Take you rass outta mi office,’ Albert hears himself scream.

2. nonsense, rubbish.

1956		S. Selvon Lonely Londoners 98: Listen here to the rarse this man talking.
1962		R. Brathwait Paid Servant 47: Don’t talk rass, man.
1968		A. Salkey Late Emancipation of Jerry Stover (1982) 143: ‘Plenty trut’ in mos’ o’ the write-up,’ Bashra said [...] ‘An’ plenty raas, too,’ Marcus said humorously. ‘Ton loads o’ rass hole’.

3. a derog. description of a person.

1959		A. Salkey Quality of Violence (1978) 54: That young boy you have here as you’ deputy is a saucy rass, you did know?
1973		A. Salkey ‘Because of 1865’ Jamaica (1983) 44: An’ that rass, Carlyle, / wit’ him Nigger Question / an’ him twis’-up, rancid brain!
1980		(con. 1950s) M. Thelwell Harder They Come 128: What a boasie little raas.
1981		N. Farki Countryman Karl Black 26: Kill them rass!
1988		S. Selvon Eldorado West One 137: Forget that speech rarse.
1992		V. Headley Yardie 14: I gwan kill that lickle raas!

4. a synon. for ‘(the) hell’, ‘(a) fuck’, ‘(a) shit’ etc.

1967		Oz 3 3/4: Jamaica where ‘Raas’ is the local corruption of the English, or British ‘Your arse.’.
1968		L. Barrett Rastafarians (1977) 208: When the priest talk nonsense contrary to our doctrine we raise rass in the Church.
1973		A. Salkey ‘Saturday in Kingston’ Jamaica (1983) 59: Is what the rass you take me for, eh? / Mus’ a touris’, nuh?
1976		A. Salkey Come Home, Malcolm Heartland 183: We still seein’ it like it was in a school book, you understan’? Not so it go a rass! [Ibid.] 187: I hard as raas, now.
1980		L. Kwesi Johnson ‘It Noh Funny’ in Inglan Is A Bitch 10: Dem wi’ tek chance / an dem love cuss raas.
1980		M. Thelwell Harder They Come 321: What de raas is de use . . . What’s de fucken use?
1988		S. Selvon Eldorado West One 137: You must be mad! You think I would go up there and risk some executive from London Transport seeing me raising rarse in Trafalgar Square?
1999		(con. 1979–80) A. Wheatle Brixton Rock (2004) 233: ‘A wha the rass,’ stammered Flynn.
2001		A. Wheatle East of Acre Lane 2: Who de rarse says I’m joking.
2011		S. Kelman Pigeon English 13Chevon brown: Rarse: .

5. anything.

1968

A. Salkey Late Emancipation of Jerry Stover (1982) 167: An’ when we elec’ you, what ’appen? What really ’appen? Not a rass. Not one Jesus Chris’ rass. Pure mout’.

6. a Rastafarian.

1968

A. Salkey Late Emancipation of Jerry Stover (1982) 189: You’re a West Kingston guerilla. A dedicated rass.