A sorry ragged string of beads (6)
I believe the answer is:
rosary
'string of beads' is the definition.
(rosary is a kind of string of beads)
'a sorry ragged' is the wordplay.
'ragged' indicates anagramming the letters.
'a'+'sorry'='asorry'
'asorry' with letters rearranged gives 'ROSARY'.
(Other definitions for rosary that I've seen before include "Chaplet" , "String of beads used in devotions" , "believer can count on it" , "Catholic prayer beads" , "Prayer aid" .)