Draggle
/ˈdræɡəl/noun
To make something wet, muddy, or dirty by dragging it along the ground, or to become soiled in this way.
Did you know?In early modern English, “draggle-tail” became a vivid term for a person whose clothing trailed in the dirt, especially someone appearing untidy or disheveled.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dʰregʰ-
“A reconstructed root associated with drawing or pulling”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*draganą
“To draw, pull, or carry”
Old English
Old English
dragan
“To draw, drag, or pull”
Middle English
Middle English
draggen
“To drag or pull along the ground”
16th Century
English
draggle
“To soil or wet by dragging; a frequentative form related to drag”
Modern English
English
draggle
“To make or become muddy, wet, or dirty by trailing along the ground”