Ballyrag -

: To abuse, scold, tell off, or annoy someone through persistent teasing or bullying.

: It is heavily associated with Hiberno-English (Irish English) and certain English dialects, such as those in Cornwall and East Yorkshire . In Cornish dialect, for instance, a speaker might say, "When I got 'n 'ome I gib 'n some ballyragin," meaning they gave someone a scolding upon returning home. Literary and Cultural Context ballyrag

: Authors like Jerome K. Jerome used "ballyrag" to capture the "characteristic talk of different classes of society". By using such slang, writers could provide readers with immediate clues regarding a character's degree of culture and social standing. : To abuse, scold, tell off, or annoy