raw adj.
1. inexperienced, unsophisticated.
![[UK]](/static/img/flags/uk.png "United Kingdom") | Hist. of Highwaymen &c 349: A raw Soldier, who had never been on duty before. | |
| Roderick Random (1979) 84: Upon which he stared in my face, and told me I was excessively raw, or I would not talk in that manner. | |
| Peregrine Pickle (1964) 207: Those animals who lead raw boys about the world, under the denomination of travelling governors. | |
| Sporting Mag. May XX 119/1: Like a lubber so raw, and so soft, / Half a george handed out, at the change did not look. | |
| Tom Crib’s Memorial to Congress 59: Poor Johnny Raw! what madness could impel / So rum a Flat to face so prime a Swell! | |
| Old Curiosity Shop (1999) 160: He wished [...] he could make out whether he (Kit) was ‘precious raw’ or ‘precious deep’. | |
![[US]](/static/img/flags/us.png "United States") | Eve. Star (Wash., DC) 9 Oct. 1/5: So unlikly did it seem that the raw uncouth, blundering Yorkshire lad should ever rise to be vice-chancellor of his university. | |
| Quite Alone I 34: How amazingly raw you are! | |
| ‘Breitmann’s Going to Church’ in Hans Breitmann in Church 111: Dere’s a raw, green corps from Michigan, / Mit horses on de loose; / You men ash vants some hoof-irons, / Look out und crip deir shoes. | |
| Three Men in a Boat 248: We [...] took a ‘raw ’un’ up with us once last season, and we plied him with the customary stretchers about the wonderful things we had done. | |
![[Aus]](/static/img/flags/aus.png "Australia") | Bushranger’s Sweetheart 31: What! Do you think, Tony, my son, that I’d be raw enough to drop one [i.e. a shoe]? | |
| Such is Life 93: I was workin’ mates with a raw new-chum feller las’ winter, ringin’ on the Yanko. | |
| Knocking the Neighbors 120: He was fresher than Green Paint and his Work was Raw, but he was so Resilient that no one could pin him to the Mat and keep him there. | |
| Call It Sleep (1977) 148: A raw jade like yourself ought to learn a little more before she butts into America. | |
| ‘A Note On Drumming And Bugling’ in Kiss Me Goodnight, Sgt.-Major (1973) 57: Stand to attention, you raw-arsed recruit. | |
| Fowlers End (2001) 110: Whereas you are raw to this business, Sam Yudenow wants you should work your way up. | |
| (con. 1940s) Autobiog. (1968) 22 3: Some raw kid hustler in a bar, I had to bust in his mouth. | |
| You Wouldn’t Be Dead for Quids (1989) 11: He was [...] as raw as a greyhound’s dinner. |
2. angry, upset.
| ‘The Story of the Gadsbys’ in Soldiers Three (1907) 148: I wonder if smashes of this kind are always so raw. | |
| Mop Fair 115: Winnie is, to say the least, dreadfully ‘raw’ over the business. | |
| Gentleman of Leisure Ch. xi: ‘I told him you were my servant. I hope you aren’t offended.’ ‘Nit. What’s dere to be raw about, boss?’. | |
| Home to Harlem 99: Jest daring me to turn raw and loose. | |
| Mrs. Van Kleek (1949) 23: It’s this beastly business [...] that’s got me raw. | |
| Dear ‘Herm’ 252: I was all rawed up [...] so I started to dictate a pretty nasty straight-from-the-shoulder reply. | |
| Awaydays 117: It dawns on me, belatedly, that she’s raw with me about something. | |
| (con. 1960s) Blood’s a Rover 16: ‘You sound a little raw, kid.’ ‘I’m strecthed a bit thin, yeah’. |
3. unfair.
| Maison De Shine 59: I don’t blame you a bit [...] I know I’ve stood for things here that is raw work. | |
| ‘Crowned Heads’ in Man with Two Left Feet 101: I guess it was raw work pulling a tale like that on the old man. | |
| There Ain’t No Justice 22: He only remained in the ring when the main event was on or when a fight became either too raw or too slow for the liking of the fans. | |
| Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit 182: There’s some raw work pulled at the font from time to time. | |
| (con. 1964-65) Sex and Thugs and Rock ’n’ Roll 153: ‘Not two fuckin’ Pommies in the same band! That’s a bit bloody raw’. |
4. (US) honest, candid, unadorned.
| Forty Modern Fables 28: The Campaign Committee gave it to him Raw two or three times a Week. | |
| ‘Stroke of Genius’ in Top-Notch 1 Apr. 🌐 ‘It’s a little raw, Jeff, isn’t it?’ I said. ‘Raw your grandmother! I’d put a bomb into each one if I could.’. | |
| Home to Harlem 22: Strong like a bull, yet just knocked off in the dark through raw cracker cussedness. | |
| Source Aug. 56: You know where I get the drums from: Tupac’s ‘How Do You Want It.’ Keep it raw. |
5. (US) harsh, inhospitable.
| Nat. Police Gaz. (NY) 29 Dec. 10/2: From all 1 can learu Denver has stood for some pretty raw things in the fighting line . | |
| Mr. Jackson 88: Now you might say I’m doin’ raw work to pass you this talk [...] but it’s like this. | |
| (con. 1905–25) Professional Thief (1956) 130: The detective made a raw speech, slapped the thief, and was about to slug her. | |
| ‘The Old Black Steer’ in Whorehouse Bells Were Ringing (1995) 126: When Windy took his maguey down, he suspicioned something raw. |
6. suggestive, smutty; linguistically unrestrained.
| Valley of the Moon (1914) I 20: ‘Whoa, Mary! Backup!’ Bert checked her peremptorily. [...] ‘Billy never makes mistakes like that.’ ‘But he needn’t be so raw,’ she persisted. [Ibid.] Ch. xxiii: ‘What d’ye want another bed for?’ asked Bert. ‘Ain’t one bed enough for the two of you?’ ‘You shut up, Bert!’ Mary cried. ‘Don’t get raw.’. | |
 | Show Business Laid Bare 22: The most vulgar comedy spoken today is heard at the Friars Club stag luncheons [...] Most of this is much too raw for the daily newspapers. | |
| (con. 1962) Enchanters 27: Large-draw comics slum here. Lenny Bruce, Don Rickles [...] They’re sanctioned to work raw. |
7. (US) uncouth, bold, brazen; also as adv. (see cit. 1930).
| ‘The Pitch-Out’ in Lucky Seventh (2004) 289: I’ve seen him a couple of times getting fresh with you [...] You don’t have to stand for any raw work around here. | |
| ‘Haircut’ in Coll. Short Stories (1941) 32: I said it had been a kind of a raw thing, but Jim just couldn’t resist no kind of a joke, no matter how raw. | |
| Home to Harlem 325: He loved to indulge in naked man-stuff talk, which would be too raw even for Felice’s ears. | |
| Gangster Girl 104: That girl—I sure ain’t her mouthpiece or nothin’ like that—but that’s ridin’ raw. | |
| Golden Boy I v: He said something funny. It was raw, so I can’t say it. | |
| Heart is a Lonely Hunter (1986) 15: Once he had got on the subject of cat-houses, and afterwards his jokes got so raw he had to be hushed up with beer. | |
| Corner (1998) 23: He was quick to turn [the room] into his clubhouse, decorating the walls with raw centerfolds, smoking blunts and downing forties with the other C.M.B. boys. | |
| On the Bro’d 14: I looked like a raw mess. |
8. naked.
| implied in raw ’uns below. | |
| ‘’Arry on the Battle of Life’ in Punch 21 Sept. in (2006) 137: In the great Ring of Life you must fight with the raw ’uns. | |
| Salt Lake Herald Repub. (UT) 19 Dec. 52/2: ‘You’ll have to wear one of little Emily’s nighties.’ ‘I’d rather sleep raw’. | |
| ‘The Brain Goes Home’ in Runyon on Broadway (1954) 222: He puts her in the ‘Vanities’ and lets her walk around raw. | |
| Northern Times (Carnarvon, WA) 14 July 6/1: Cliff and I had a never-to-be-frogotten swim ‘in the raw’. | |
| Dead Ringer 10: A lot of carneys sleep raw in hot weather. | |
| Down in the Holler 277: It got so hot the kids just sprinkled the bed, an’ slept plumb raw. | |
| Pimp 175: I’m raw. I’ll have to slip on something. | |
| Pleasures of Helen 130: Fred wanted to sleep in the raw, but I wouldn’t let him. | |
| That Eye, The Sky 43: Here I am in the nick, raw as a prawn, me shorts back in the bush. |
9. (US black) excellent, powerful, impressive.
| Chosen Few (1966) 184: To Blood’s way of thinking, women liked goodness and gentleness, but preferred a periodic asskicking raw man with that goodness and gentleness. | |
| ‘Six in the Morning’ 🎵 Solid gold the ride was raw. | |
| Street Talk 2 t70: That move was raw! | |
| in San Jose Mercury News 11 May n.p.: Raw (adj) – Wonderful, awesome, great. (syn. cool, tight, dope, fly, phat). The special effects in the movie were raw. | |
| Adventures 35: ‘We can start throwing parties down here [...] get some old couches and a mattress and this spot could be raw’. | |
| On the Bro’d 13: [S]he had a posse of hot friends and everything would be raw as hell. |
10. (US) used of sexual intercourse without a condom.
| Rent Boy 34: The only real intelligent part of Chip is his penis, getting it up there raw is unbelievable [...] I said, You asshole, what about AIDS. | |
| in POZ June 🌐 I’ve only gone raw with a positive guy that one time. This has mostly to do with the fact that I’m in a monogamous relationship with a negative guy. If I weren’t, I think I’d actively pursue barebacking [...] and feel OK about it. |
11. (W.I.) hungry.
![[WI]](/static/img/flags/wi.png "West Indies") | Official Dancehall Dict. 43: Raw hungry: u. me raw/I’m very hungry. |
12. (UK black) very bad.
| ‘I Luv U’ 🎵 Fifteen. She’s under-age, that’s raw. |
In compounds
(orig. US) unfair, harsh treatment, particularly poor luck; usu. from the point of view of the victim.
| Bulletin (Sydney) 12 June 6/4: The clever owner of the blue and yellow is said to have had rather a ‘rough deal’. | |
| Dly Astorian (Astoria, OR) 14 Dec. 1/2: What a terrible punishment tarring and feathering really is [...] I had no idea [...] what a rough deal the process is. | |
| San Antonio Light (TX) 9 Aug. 3/2: [headline] The Anglo-Texan Correspondent to a British Paper Gives the Negro of Texas a Very Rough Deal. | |
| Artie (1963) 58: Was n’t that a raw deal, huh? | |
| Eve. Herald (Shenandoah, PA) 25 May 1/5: Mr Titman’s horse received rather a rough deal. | |
| Guthrie Dly Leader (OK) 8 July 1/6: Jessie Morrison Gets Rough Deal [...] her sentence is increased to 25 years. | |
| Hopkinsville Kentuckian (KY) 8 May 1/5: Man of them are fairminded even in politics and would not stand for such a raw deal. | |
| Gentleman of Leisure Ch. vii: Boss, I’ve had a raw deal. On de level, I has. | |
| N.Y. Tribune 27 May 136/3: He was a good sport, too, and I think he got a rough deal. | |
| ‘Champion’ in Coll. Short Stories (1941) 117: His mother canned him out o’ the house for bein’ no good. She gave him a raw deal, I guess. | |
| N.Y. Tribune 1 Sept. 3/5: [headline] Cripple Gets Rough Deal. | |
| Manhattan Transfer 285: I know a lot of old fellers even, thinks the boys are gettin a raw deal. | |
| ‘On Broadway’ 8 Apr. [synd. col.] Ilka Chase is burning over the ‘raw deal’ she alleges M.G.M. handed her. | |
| Amboy Dukes 151: You gave Crazy a raw deal. | |
| Mad mag. May–June 33: We have unanimously concluded that you got a raw deal. | |
| Corner Boy 88: That’s a pretty rough deal finding someone like that. | |
| Go, Man, Go! 13: Raw deal. I oughta—. | |
| Algiers Motel Incident 136: I think I’m getting a raw deal. | |
| Daddy Cool (1997) 92: They believed that he was getting a raw deal. It wasn’t his fault that his stepsister started selling pussy. | |
| A-Team Storybook 16: Some of the boys feel we’re getting a raw deal, that people don’t take enough notice of us. | |
| Indep. Rev. 26 July 4: Patients get a raw deal from private health care. | |
| Daily Express 20 May 105: Randi is getting a raw deal. | |
| Disassembled Man [ebook] You’ve been handed a raw deal, Frankie, and you deserve better. |
(Aus.) an inexperienced criminal.
| Joyful Condemned 166: Yo go picking on this raw-skin, big-noting yourself like you was Numismata himelf. |
SE in slang uses
In compounds
a policeman; thus raw lobster house, a police station.
| ‘The Scenes of Manchester’ in A Touch of the Times 62: The raw lobster pops you in the Bailey. | |
| Berks Chron. 4 Dec. 4/5: ‘You be d—d,’ says he, ‘you Irish raw lobster.’ [...] and off I dragged him to the station-house. | |
| Sun. in London 21: A Sporting paper is published only on Sunday [...] denounces all police officers as public nuisances and raw lobsters. | |
| Satirist (London) 12 Jan. 15/3: The new police - the blue devil corps - the ‘raw lobsters,’ are the subject of the book [...] It is easy to see which the ‘maid-servant’ would prefer as a ‘friend,’ the ‘lobster’ or the lady. | |
| Morn. Chron. (London) 2 Oct. 4/4: This would be the time for the Raw Lobsters to gather evidence against them. | |
| ‘Poll Newry, The Dainty Flag-Hopper’ Gentleman’s Spicey Songster 34: The raw lobsters she sets at defiance, / She tips ’em a bit of her science; / Like a boxer she floors, the blue devils by scores, / And then in a crack she will fly hence. | |
| Bradford Obs. 13 Apr. 2/4: There was some ugly work last night. My body-guard chucked a raw lobster (a policeman) into the canal. | |
| in Pegge Anecdotes of the Eng. Lang. 298: The guardians of the public peace, who walk about in blue coats and white trimmings, are called ‘raw lobsters’. | |
| Leeds Times 22 June 6/2: The raw lobster house, foot of Park Row. | |
| ‘Wakefield Gaol’ in Touch of the Times 252: Don’t let your passions act to free, And keep from each blue lobster’s claw. | |
| Worcs. Chron. 16 June 7/4: [heading] Assault by a ‘Raw Lobster,’ Not a Policeman. | |
| ‘Betty and Joe’ in Rakish Rhymer (1917) 27: When you wear the coat of blue, and the slap-up shiney tile, / You’ll be just like a raw lobster that has not had a bite — / With your truncheon in your pocket. | |
| Sl. Dict. | |
| Police! 320: A policeman ... A fly, [...] body-snatcher, raw lobster, tin ribs, stalk, danger signal, terror etc. | |
| Derby Dly Teleg. 7 Apr. 3/3: Among other slang terms for police-men are rozzers, cossacks, frog; raw lobster, M.P. (member of police) nam. |
1. (also raw sausage) the penis [meat n. (2)/sausage n. (3)].
| Amusements Serious and Comical in Works (1927) 120: I’ll warrant your poor cuckolds are hovering about the change to hear what news from Flanders, whilst you, like a couple of hollow-bellied wh---s, are sailing up to Spring Gardens to cram one end with roasted fowls, and other with raw sausages. | |
| ‘The Butcher’ in Merry Songs and Ballads (1897) II 216: Take care that her mag with raw meat is well fed, / Lest the horns of an ox should adorn your calve’s head. | |
| ‘Mr Pluck, The Leadenhall Butcher’ in Funny Songster in Spedding & Watt (eds) Bawdy Songbooks (2011) III 43: Take care that her maw with raw meat is well fed / Lest the horns of an ox should adorn your calve’s-head. | |
| Queens’ Vernacular 50: the penis [...] raw meat (poised before the fellator’s lips: ‘All your analisp will deliver is a diagnosis that you return to your diet of raw meat’). |
2. a woman who partakes, naked, in sex shows.
| DSUE (1984) 963/2: C.19–early 19; ob. |
3. a prostitute caught in flagrante; thus raw-meat business, prostitution.
| Such is Life 241: When bar-loafer meets pimp, at £1 a side, then comes the raw-meat business. |
(Aus.) a bare-knuckle boxer.
| Bulletin (Sydney) 12 July 15/1: You are a Queensberry boxer. I am a raw-meat man. I claim to be a champion bare-fist bruiser of the world, the lineal descendant of the old-time fist-fighters, under the rules of the London prize ring. |
see separate entry.
(US black) a virgin black woman.
| Jailhouse Jargon and Street Sl. [unpub. ms.]. |
a newly enlisted recruit.
| Regiment 23 Apr. 53/2: O.S.: ‘Sir, he’s a rooky, and— ’ Officer : ‘A what?’ O.S.: ‘A Micky, sir, and— ’ Officer : “A what?’ O.S.: ‘I mean to say he’s a Johnny, sir, and— ’4 : Officer [...] (Calls the sergeant-major and asks him to explain, if possible, what he means [...] ‘Oh, he means he’s a “Raw un” sir’. |
the fists, esp. as used in a fight.
| London Dly News 29 July 4/8: This was to be ‘an out and out affair with the raw ’uns’. | |
| Nat. Police Gaz. (NY) 17 Nov. 10/1: There is still the average [...] mill with, as the English pugs say, the ‘raw uns’. | |
| Manchester Eve. News 4 Oct. 2/3: When they were called upon to fight with their naked fists — technically termed the ‘raw ’uns’ — they made [...] a very poor show. | |
| Witchita Eagle (KS) 13 Mar. 3/5: Few fighters have the courage to fight with the ‘raw ’uns’. | |
| Pall Mall Gaz. 10 Jan. 5/1: The two champions doffed the brown gloves, shook what they call their ‘raw’uns,’ and retired amid a Niagra [sic] of applause. | |
| Dead Bird (Sydney) 21 Sept. 7/3: A young man was punched worse than the knocked out victim of a finish fight with the raw ’uns. | |
| Bulletin (Sydney) 5 July 18/1: The writer has seen Dooley, in a fight with the raw ’uns, and show that he could take a pasting with the best of them, but he is of so nervous a temperament that he is usually beaten before he steps into the ring. | |
| Mirror of Life 9 June 14/2: [A] certain fighter [...] had a habit of securing a mug to back him for an occasional scrap in private with the raw ’uns. | |
| Ravalli Republican (Stevensville, MT) 20 Jan. 3/4: Gloves [...] were not considered deadly enough by the ‘kids’ [...] so ‘raw ’uns’ were substituted. | |
| Hooligan Nights 17: He is better with the raws, and is very bad to tackle in a street row. | |
| Illus. Police News 23 Sept. 4/1: Fight with the Raw ’Uns. Jim Fox Beats Jack Lee. | |
| Sydney Sportsman (Surry Hills, NSW) 28 Aug. 3/3: The ring was formed (as they say when describing a Sunday morning mill on the grass with the raw ’uns). | |
| Marvel 1 Dec. 523: ‘Gloves or the raw ’uns?’ asked the soldier. | |
| Hastings & St Leonard’s Obs. 3 Sept. 5/5: It is a fight in the ‘buff’ with ‘raw ’uns’. | |
| Eve. World (NY) 4 Sept. 8/7: He knows the fist game from every angle, both with the gloves and the ‘raw ’uns’. | |
| Marvel 24 July 15: In the ring, with the ‘raw ’uns,’ as they used to call the naked fists, he was a terror to his opponents. | |
| (con. 1835–40) Bold Bendigo 93: He offered me a guinea to mill him with the gloves, but I’ve done it with the raw ’uns for love. | |
| There Ain’t No Justice 9: He could just remember the old boys who had fought with the raw ’uns on Wormwood Scrubs Common. |