look as if one has been dragged through a hedge backwards
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
To look extremely dishevelled.
Register: humorous, informal
Examples
Bill is right, for I heard him say myself she [a racehorse] couldn't stay; he'd eat her if she won: drawn too fine; was on the go; done too much work; had a bad night, and looked as if she was dragged through a hedge backwards, and hadn't eaten a feed of corn for a month.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “look as if one has been dragged through a hedge backwards” mean?
To look extremely dishevelled.
Is “look as if one has been dragged through a hedge backwards” formal or informal?
look as if one has been dragged through a hedge backwards is generally humorous, informal.