English

Alternative forms

• ragged robbin, ragged-robin

Noun

ragged robin ‎(plural ragged robins)

1. (Britain) A type of wild campion, Lychnis flos-cuculi, in the family Caryophyllaceae, which grows across Europe and has pink flowers.
   • 1913, D.H. Lawrence, Sons and Lovers, chapter 6

     Paul came back and threaded daisies in her jet black hair, big spangles of white and yellow, and just a pink touch of ragged robbin.

   • 1919,Ronald Firbank, Valmouth, Duckworth, hardback edition, page 91:

     He had a suit of summer mufti, and a broad-brimmed blue beaver hat looped with leaves broken from the hedgerows in the lanes, and a Leander scarf tucked full of flowers: loosestrife, meadowrue, orchis, ragged-robin.