Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
bag
I. bag1 S1 W2 /bæɡ/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old Norse; Origin: baggi]
1. CONTAINER
a) a container made of paper, cloth, or thin plastic, that usually opens at the top:
a paper bag
a plastic bag
a garbage bag
b) a ↑handbag:
Don’t leave your bag in the car.
c) a large bag that you use to carry your clothes etc when you are travelling:
Just throw your bags in the back of the car.
a garment bag
2. AMOUNT the amount that a bag will hold
bag of
a bag of popcorn
3. old/stupid bag spoken an insulting word for an old woman:
You silly old bag!
4. A LOT OF SOMETHINGbags of something especially British English spoken a lot of something SYN plenty:
She’s got bags of money.
No need to rush – we’ve got bags of time.
5. pack your bags informal to leave a place where you have been living, usually after an argument:
We told her to pack her bags at once.
6. EYESbags [plural] dark circles or loose skin under your eyes, usually because of old age or being tired
7. a bag of bones informal a person or animal who is too thin
8. in the bag informal certain to be won or achieved:
The governor’s advisors believe the election is in the bag.
9. TROUSERSbags [plural] British English old-fashioned loose-fitting trousers:
Oxford bags
10. not sb’s bag old-fashioned informal something that someone is not very interested in or not very good at:
Thanks, but dancing is not really my bag.
11. bag and baggage British English with all your possessions:
They threw her out of the house, bag and baggage.
12. HUNTING [usually singular] British English the number of birds or animals that someone kills when they go hunting:
We had a good bag that day.
⇨ ↑sleeping bag, ↑airbag, ↑duffel bag, ↑tote bag, ↑beanbag, ↑punchbag, ↑sandbag1, ↑teabag, ⇨ let the cat out of the bag at ↑cat(2), ⇨ be left holding the bag at ↑hold1(26), ⇨ a mixed bag at ↑mixed(6)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ types
▪ a plastic/polythene/paper bag Store the beans in a paper bag in the fridge.
▪ a carrier bag (=for carrying shopping, usually made of plastic) The supermarket no longer gives free carrier bags.
▪ a shopping bag She loaded her shopping bags into the back of the car.
▪ a school bag Hey, don't forget your school bag!
▪ a sports bag I noticed that the man was wearing trainers and carrying a sports bag.
▪ a shoulder bag (=one that is carried over your shoulder) Big shoulder bags are fashionable this year.
▪ a leather/canvas bag She was carrying a smart leather bag.
▪ a clutch bag (=a small woman's bag that you hold in one hand) For the evening all you need is a little clutch bag.
▪ an evening bag (=a small bag that a woman takes out with her in the evening) She put her lipstick in a black velvet evening bag.
▪ a beach bag (=to take to the beach) I bought a big striped beach bag.
▪ an overnight bag (=a small suitcase or bag for a short stay somewhere) All you need to take is an overnight bag.
▪ a travel bag (=a suitcase or bag taken with you when you travel) Your travel bag must not weigh more than 20 kilos.
▪ a sponge/toilet bag (=for carrying your soap, toothpaste, shampoo etc) I left my sponge bag in the hotel bathroom.
▪ a bin/dustbin bag British English Use the black bin bags provided by the council.
■ verbs
▪ a bag contains something Lisa was carrying the bag containing the beach towels.
▪ a bag holds something I don't think that bag will hold all those books..
▪ open/close a bag The customs officer opened my bag.
▪ empty a bag I've emptied my bags and I still can't find it.
▪ pack a bag (=put things in it preparing to go somewhere) Mum packed a bag for a day at the beach.
▪ unpack a bag She unpacked her bags and put her clothes away.
II. bag2 BrE AmE verb (past tense and past participle bagged, present participle bagging) [transitive]
1. to put things into bags:
He got a job bagging groceries.
2. informal to manage to get something that a lot of people want:
Try to bag a couple of seats at the front.
3. British English informal to score a ↑goal or a point in sport:
Larsson bagged his thirtieth goal of the season in Celtic’s win.
4. especially British English informal to kill or catch an animal or bird:
We bagged a rabbit.
5. be bagged and zip-tied if prisoners are bagged and zip-tied, bags are put over their heads and their hands are tied together
bag something ↔ up phrasal verb especially British English
to put things into bags:
We bagged up the money before we closed the shop.
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
bag
bag [bag bags bagged bagging] noun, verb [bæɡ] [bæɡ]
noun
CONTAINER
1. countable (often in compounds) a container made of paper or plastic, that opens at the top, used especially in shops/stores
• a plastic/polythene/paper bag
• a laundry/mail bag
• a black plastic rubbish/garbage bag
2. countable a strong container made from cloth, plastic, leather, etc, usually with one or two handles, used to carry things in when shopping or travelling
• a shopping bag
• a make-up bag
• He's upstairs unpacking his bags.
• She opened her bag (= her handbag ) and took out her comb.
see also airbag, beanbag, bumbag, goody bag, punchbag, sandbag, tea bag
AMOUNT
3. countable ~ (of sth) the amount contained in a bag
• She ate a bag of chips.
see also mixed bag, ragbag
4. bags uncountable, plural ~ (of sth) (BrE, informal) a large amount or a large number of sth
• Get in! There's bags of room.
UNDER EYES
5. bags plural dark circles or loose folds of skin under the eyes, as a result of getting old or lack of sleep
UNPLEASANT WOMAN
6. countable (informal, especially BrE) an insulting word for an unpleasant or bad-tempered older woman
see also ratbag, scumbag, windbag
BIRDS/ANIMALS
7. countable, usually singular all the birds, animals, etc. shot or caught on one occasion
• We got a good bag today. There are many other compounds ending in bag. You will find them at their place in the alphabet.
more at let the cat out of the bag at cat, be a bag/bundle of nerves at nerve n., pack your bags at pack v., a bag/box of tricks at trick n.
Word Origin:
Middle English: perhaps from Old Norse baggi.
Thesaurus:
bag noun C
• I got my bag down from the rack.
handbag • • backpack • • suitcase • • case • |BrE rucksack • |AmE purse • |AmE old-fashioned knapsack •
carry a bag/handbag/backpack/suitcase/case/rucksack/purse/knapsack
put on/take off a backpack/rucksack/knapsack
pack/unpack a bag/backpack/suitcase/case/rucksack/knapsack
Example Bank:
• He could not convince those who held the money bags that his idea was viable.
• He shouldered his bag and left.
• He tossed his bag onto an empty seat.
• He was walking along swinging his school bag.
• Her crocodile skin clutch bag matched her shoes.
• I had to lug my bags up the stairs.
• I opened the trunk of the car to retrieve my bags.
• I rummaged in my bag for a pen.
• New airline regulations banned scissors in carry-on bags.
• She grabbed her bag and ran out of the door.
• She had a heavy bag swinging from each hand.
• She helped me load my bags into the car.
• She stepped down off the bus with her bag slung over her shoulder.
• The bag bulged with papers and letters.
• The camera caught him slipping a CD into his bag.
• The customs officer asked him to empty out the contents of his bag.
• The dead soldiers were put on the plane in body bags.
• The mushrooms are sealed in a bag for freshness.
• They were gathering their bags, preparing to leave.
• Two youths snatched her bag as she was walking home.
• We dropped our bags off at the hotel and went straight out.
• We're giving away a free goody bag with every children's meal.
• You can check bags of up to 70 pounds for free.
• You need to have your bags packed and be ready to go by six.
• a baby changing bag
• a bag of groceries
• a cyclist with his laptop in a messenger bag slung across his chest
• He was carrying a leather travelling bag.
• He was told to pack his bags and leave.
• I got my bag down from the rack.
• My passport was right at the bottom of my bag.
• The porter will take your bags up to your room.
Idioms: bag and baggage ▪ bag of bones ▪ bags … ▪ in the bag ▪ leave somebody holding the bag ▪ somebody's bag
verb (-gg-)
PUT INTO BAGS
1. ~ sth (up) to put sth into bags
• The fruit is washed, sorted and bagged at the farm.
CATCH ANIMAL
2. ~ sth (informal) to catch or kill an animal
• We bagged ten fish in two hours.
IN SPORT
3. ~ sth (informal) to score a goal, point, etc
• Dublin bagged two goals in last night's win.
CLAIM STH
4. ~ sth (BrE, informal) to claim sth as yours before sb else claims it; to take sth before sb else can get it
• Sally had managed to bag the two best seats.
• Quick, bag that table over there!
CRITICIZE SB/STH
5. ~ sb/sth (AustralE, NZE, informal) to criticize sb/sth
DECIDE NOT TO DO STH
6. ~ sth (NAmE, informal) to decide not to do sth because you think it will not be successful or because you think it will be better to do it later
• They decided to bag the trip because they were short of cash.
• Don't use the risk of failure as an excuse to bag the plan.
• We admitted we were fair-weather climbers and bagged it.
Verb forms:
Word Origin:
Middle English: perhaps from Old Norse baggi.
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary
bag
bag (CRITICIZE) /bæg/
verb [T] -gg- AUSTRALIAN ENGLISH INFORMAL
to criticize or laugh at someone or something in an unkind way:
Stop bagging her (out) - she's doing her best.
bag (WOMAN) /bæg/
noun [C] SLANG
a rude and insulting name for a woman, especially an older one:
Silly old bag!
bag (KILL) /bæg/
verb [T] -gg-
to hunt and kill an animal or bird
bag (OBTAIN) /bæg/
verb [T] -gg- INFORMAL
to get something before other people have a chance to take it:
[+ two objects] Bag us some decent seats/Bag some decent seats for us if you get there first, won't you?
See also bags.
bag (CONTAINER) /bæg/
noun [C]
a soft container made out of paper or thin plastic, or a stronger container made of leather, plastic or other material, usually with a handle, in which you carry personal things or clothes and other items that you need for travelling:
a paper/plastic bag
a shopping bag (= a bag in which shopping is carried)
a bag of apples/nuts
Don't eat that whole bag of (= the amount the bag contains) sweets at once.
I hadn't even packed my bags (= put the things I own in cases/bags).
bag /bæg/
verb [T] -gg-
to put something in a bag:
Shall I bag (up) those tomatoes for you?
bagful /ˈbæg.fʊl/
noun [C]
the amount that a bag contains:
a bagful of shoes/socks/shirts
baggy
baggy /ˈbæg.i/
adjective
(of clothes) hanging loosely because of being too big or having been stretched:
baggy trousers
My T-shirt went all baggy in the wash.
bag /bæg/
verb [I] -gg-
I hate these trousers - they bag (out) (= hang loosely) at the back.
bags /bægz/
plural noun UK OLD-FASHIONED
trousers with a wide and loose style:
Oxford bags
Collins Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary
bag
/bæg/
(bags)
Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
1.
A bag is a container made of thin paper or plastic, for example one that is used in shops to put things in that a customer has bought.
N-COUNT
•
A bag of things is the amount of things contained in a bag.
N-COUNT: usu N of n
2.
A bag is a strong container with one or two handles, used to carry things in.
She left the hotel carrying a shopping bag.
N-COUNT
•
A bag of things is the amount of things contained in a bag.
N-COUNT: usu N of n
3.
A bag is the same as a handbag.
N-COUNT
4.
If you have bags under your eyes, you have folds of skin there, usually because you have not had enough sleep.
N-PLURAL
5.
If you say there is bags of something, you mean that there is a large amount of it. If you say that there are bags of things, you mean that there are a large number of them. (BRIT INFORMAL)
...a hotel with bags of character.
= heaps of
QUANT: QUANT of pl-n/n-uncount [emphasis]
6.
see also bum bag, carrier bag, mixed bag, shoulder-bag, sleeping bag, tea bag
7.
If you say that something is in the bag, you mean that you are certain that you will get it or achieve it. (INFORMAL)
‘I’ll get the Republican nomination,’ he assured me. ‘It’s in the bag.’