▪ I.dragging,vbl.n.|ˈdrægɪŋ|[f.drag v. + -ing1.]a.The action of drag v. in various senses.c1440Promp. Parv. 130/1Draggynge, or drawynge, tractus.
1526Pilgr.Perf.(W. de W. 1531) 158 b,In the psalmody & hymnes..Begin al at ones, & ende all at ones..beware of tayles or draggynge.
1639FullerHoly War iii. xx. (1647) 143Mens consciences are more moved with leading then dragging or drawing.
1768G. WashingtonWrit.(1889) II. 241Went a dragging for sturgeon.
1812[see drag v. 10].
1840R. H. DanaBef. Mast xiii. 31The ship..rode out the gale in safety, without dragging at all.
1876GwiltEncycl.Archit.Gloss.,Dragging, the operation of completing the surface of soft stone by means of an instrument called a drag, a thin plate of steel with fine teeth on one edge, moved backwards and forwards by the workman.
1876Encycl.Brit.IV. 403/2The bristles..are sorted according to thickness by a process called ‘dragging’, which consists in passing them through a kind of comb, which retains those that are too stout to go between the teeth.
1882Sydney SlangDict.32Dragging down, or pulling down, stealing articles from shop-doors.
1936J. CurtisGilt Kid ii. 18I'm a screwsman and not on the dragging lark.
1938F. D. SharpeSharpe of Flying Squad 330Dragging, stealing from vans.
1961M. LevyStudioDict.Art Terms,Dragging, a method of applying pigment with little or no vehicle by dragging it lightly over the tacky surface of a painting, in order to produce a broken effect.
b.concr.The produce of dragging.1893Daily News 21 June 6/1Scarce..equal to the draggings of a decent hay field.
▪ II.ˈdragging,ppl.a.[f.asprec.+ -ing2.]That drags: in various senses of thevb.1775S. J. PrattLib. Opinions (1783) I. 158The road..was heavy and dragging.
1787F. BurneyDiary 15 Aug.,[Mrs. Siddons]In face and person, truly noble..in voice, deep and dragging.
1883Manch.Exam.14 Dec. 4/6A dull and dragging market.
Hence ˈdraggingly adv.1886R. BroughtonDr. Cupid III. i. 18Her words..come draggingly, with a little break between each.
