Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(mainly US) a disreputable, seedy, run-down person; also as adj.

[1806		N.-Y. Commercial Advertiser 18 Mar. 3/2: A Wreck. – Stranded on the island known by the name of Ragged-Ass, lying at the south of Manticus (Hancock county)].
1930		‘Dean Stiff’ Milk and Honey Route 38: A western contractor is known as ‘Ragged [naughty word] Smith’.
1937		J. Curtis You’re in the Racket, Too 219: You couldn’t hardly expect a girl to look at you when you was walking about with a raggedy-pants like that.
1979		E. Torres After Hours 106: He went total bananas, cussin’ me out instead of thankin’ me for savin’ his raggedy ass.
1987		(con. c.1967) J. Ferrandino Firefight 140: I thought I told you to shave, raggedy-ass.
1994		G. Pelecanos Shoedog 121: [A] man would do anything, when it came down to it, for the green. Especially a raggedy-ass motherfucker like this.
2019		S.M. Jones Lives Laid Away [ebook] ‘Ex-cop who took twelve mil from raggedy-ass Detroit reinvests in raggedy-ass Detroit’.