rabble

• n. 乌合之众；暴民；下层社会；（搅炼用的）长柄耙
• vt. 聚众闹事；用长柄耙搅拌

可能来自拟声词，模仿喧闹声，吵闹声，-le,表反复。后用于形容没有组织的乌合之众。

rabble (n.1)

c. 1300, "pack of animals," possibly related to Middle English rablen "to gabble, speak in a rapid, confused manner," probably imitative of hurry, noise, and confusion (compare Middle Dutch rabbelen, Low German rabbeln "to chatter"). Meaning "tumultuous crowd of vulgar, noisy people" is from late 14c.; applied contemptuously to the common or low part of any populace from 1550s.

rabble (n.2)

iron bar for stirring molten metal, 1864, from French râble, from Old French roable, from Latin rutabulum "rake, fire shovel," from ruere to rake up (perhaps cognate with Lithuanian raju "to pluck out," German roden "to root out").

1. Critics have accused him of rabble-rousing.

评论家谴责他煽动群众。

来自柯林斯例句

2. a speech that appealed to the rabble

感染贱民的演讲

来自《权威词典》

3. They formed an army out of rabble.

他们用乌合之众组成一支军队.

来自《简明英汉词典》

4. In 40 years, the Guards' Polo Club has changed, but it has managed to keep most of the rabble out.

40年间，御林军马球俱乐部虽有变化，但却一直成功地把绝大多数下层民众拒之门外。

来自柯林斯例句

5. He has helped to transform the party from a disorganised, demoralised rabble into a force which must again be taken seriously.

他帮助把该政党从一群组织涣散、意志消沉的乌合之众打造成了一只不容小觑的力量。

来自柯林斯例句