Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a rough party, a brawl; also attrib.

1837		A. Greene Glance at N.Y. I iv: Come along, for I’m itching for a regular knock-down and drag-out!
1870		Nation 30 June 411/2: We have been forcibly struck with the number of encounters, [...] knock-downs, drag-outs [DA].
1931		W.N. Burns One-Way Ride 81: He was a hot-tempered fellow [...] mixing in many knock-down and drag-out rows.
1943		W. Guthrie Bound for Glory (1969) 419: God, they really must have had a knockdown dragout!
1953		F. Brown Madball (2019) 123: What he needed, he thought, was a good drunk. A two-weeks knockdown-dragout drunk.
1967		P. Thomas Down These Mean Streets (1970) 117: I left it hanging there so if he wanted to think I had been in a drag-out fight, he could.
1974		M. Cherry On High Steel 69: He’s a knock-down, drag-out rummy.

2. one who indulges in a fierce fight.

c.1859

Southern Sketches n.p.: He’s a rael [sic] stormer, ring clipper, snow belcher, and drag out [DA].

3. a dance.

1886

Lantern (N.O.) 6 Aug. 3: Drag-outs, what is called dances, given by street loafers an’ sich.

4. (US) a party held in the country, beyond the big city.

1926

Judge (NY) 91 July-Dec. 31: Dragiut - Out-of-town party.