i Register
In some senses, draggle-tail is marked as archaic. Watch for register when choosing this word.
noun
A slut or slattern; a slovenly woman.
For yee shall not onely see the Damoiselles (Gentlewomen) and them of the better sort, but euery poore Chapperonnieze (draggletayle) euen to the Coblers daughter, that can Dance with good measure, & Arte, all your Quarantes, Leualties, Bransles, & other Dances whatsoeuer […]
It was a long canting monologue, which ended with, "And a lady is just what you are not — you don't even wear under-drawers, you draggle-tail!" Whereupon in her fury she lifted her skirts and showed me that she did wear underdrawers.
adj
Dirty, untidy, ragtag.
You notice that across the lawn the coppice looks not so wind-beaten and draggletail as it did a while ago.
—words spliced to form draggletail phrases met by brittle conjunctions– We two are poorly bound