I. ˈbag, -aa(ə)g, -aig noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English bagge, from Old Norse baggi
1. : a container made of paper, cloth, mesh, metal foil, plastic, or other flexible material and usually closed on all sides except for an opening that may be closed (as by folding, pasting, tying, or sewing), being of sizes ranging from small to very large and being specially designed and treated for properly holding, storing, carrying, shipping, or distributing any material or product — compare pouch , sack
2. : a bag for a particular purpose: as
a. : a bag to hold money : purse ; especially : a woman's pocketbook : handbag
b. : a bag for carrying game : game bag
several squirrels and a rabbit in his bag
c. : a silk pouch used to hold up the back hair (as of a powdered wig)
d. : mailbag
e. : traveling bag , valise , suitcase
3. : something felt to resemble a bag (as in form or capaciousness): as
a. : a pouched or pendulous bodily part or organ:
(1) : a sac or space containing a secretion or other fluid
the poison bag of a snake
the honey bag of a bee
(2) : udder
(3) dialect Britain : belly
(4) : a pendulous outpouching of flabby skin
an aging face with bags below the eyes
(5) slang : scrotum
b. : a puffed out sag or bulge (as of cloth) suggestive of a bag
bags at the knees of trousers
the bag in the sail of a ship
c. bags plural , chiefly Britain : slacks
dressed with casual undergraduate elegance in sports coat, silk pullover, and flannel bags — Christopher Isherwood
d. : a square white canvas container filled with sawdust that is fastened to the ground to mark the position of first, second, or third base in baseball
e. : punching bag
f. : sleeping bag
g. : any of the small upright chimneys inside a ceramic kiln through which the flames pass into the body of the structure
h. : a cavity filled with water or gas in a mine
4. : something that is bagged: as
a. : the amount contained in a bag especially when fixed (as by law) for a particular commodity and used as a unit of weight
25 bags to the ton
broadly : a bag and its contents
don't forget to get a bag of potatoes
b. : a quantity of game taken during a particular hunt or during a particular period usually by one person
the bag included an elephant, and a magnificent male tiger
often : the amount of game permitted (as by law) to be taken by one hunter
he got his bag early and was home before lunch
c. : something likened to the bag taken by a hunter or fisherman especially in being won, captured, seized, or otherwise taken by personal effort : trophy , spoils
the flier finished the day with a bag of four enemy planes
sometimes : a group of persons or things : collection , assortment
a mixed bag of bystanders — Ken Purdy
a large bag of special techniques — Greer Williams
5. slang
a. : prostitute
b. : woman ; especially : a slovenly unattractive woman — used chiefly in the phrase old bag ; usually used disparagingly
•
- in the bag
II. verb
( bagged ; bagged ; bagging ; bags )
Etymology: Middle English baggen, from bagge, n.
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to swell out : bulge
the entire side of the tent bagged outward under the force of the gale
b. : to hang loosely (as of clothing) like a bag
her dress bagged shapelessly about her
2. of a milch animal : to develop the udder — usually used with up
this heifer is bagging up well
transitive verb
1. : to cause to bulge or swell out
the rush of air at once bagged and filled out the parachute
2.
a. : to put into a bag
bagging and shipping the sugar
— often used with up
don't sweep until you have bagged up the beans
b. : to cover (as plants) with bags so as to exclude insects or foreign pollen
long rows of carefully bagged zinnias
3.
a. : to take (animals) as game : to kill or capture (game)
he bagged a fine 10-point buck
b. : to get possession of especially by strategy or stealth : gain , acquire
his shrewd business speculation helped him to bag a fabulous fortune
also : make off with : steal
two little boys were caught bagging apples
c. : to win a victory over : get the mastery of : capture , seize
the police bagged the entire dope ring
also : to shoot down : destroy
his first day he bagged three enemy planes
Synonyms: see catch
III. transitive verb
( bagged ; bagged ; bagging ; bags )
Etymology: origin unknown
: to cut (as grain) with a heavy sickle and gather the cut produce into bundles
IV. abbreviation
baggage
V. noun
1. : frame or state of mind
when a person acts stupidly, he is “in his stupid bag ” — Junius Griffin
2. : something suited to one's taste : something one likes or does well : specialty
hasn't been my bag so far, but I'm a very dedicated actor — Dick Van Dyke
3.
a. : an individual's typical way of life
can't expect people who are in another bag to accept my bag — Jerry Rubin
b. : a characteristic manner of expression
more than any other singer in the soul bag — Albert Goldman
4. : something that frustrates or impedes : hang-up
5. : a small packet of a narcotic drug (as heroin or marijuana)
6. bags plural , Britain : a large amount or number : lot
fancied a job with bags of variety — Punch
VI. transitive verb
1. : to achieve or complete successfully : win
bagged a 30-foot putt
also : to climb (a mountain peak) successfully
2. : to give up, forgo, or abandon especially for something more desirable or attainable
bag college for a good job — Shannon Dortch