bag
♦♦ bag /b'æg/ (bags)
1 [N-COUNT]
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] usu N of n
A bag of things is the amount of things contained in a bag.
2 [N-COUNT]
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] usu N of n
A bag of things is the amount of things contained in a bag.
3 [N-COUNT]
A bag is the same as a handbag.
4 [N-PLURAL]
If you have bags under your eyes, you have folds of skin there, usually because you have not had enough sleep.
5 [QUANT] QUANT of pl-n/n-uncount
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
6
see also bum bag, carrier bag, shoulder-bag, shoulder-bag, sleeping bag, tea bag
7 [PHRASE] usu v-link PHR
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.'
8
to let the cat out of the bag: see catbag lady (bag ladies)
[N-COUNT]
A bag lady is a homeless woman who carries her possessions in shopping bags.bean bag (bean bags)
also beanbag
[N-COUNT]
A bean bag is a large round cushion filled with tiny pieces of plastic or rubber. It takes the shape of your body when you sit on it.body bag (body bags)
[N-COUNT]
A body bag is a specially designed large plastic bag which is used to carry a dead body away, for example when someone has been killed in a battle or an accident.
...the prospect of young soldiers coming home in body bags.bum bag (bum bags)
[N-COUNT]
A bum bag consists of a small bag attached to a belt which you wear round your waist. You use it to carry things such as money and keys. (BRIT; in AM, use fanny pack)car|ri|er bag (carrier bags)
[N-COUNT]
A carrier bag is a bag made of plastic or paper which has handles and which you carry shopping in. (BRIT; in AM, usually use shopping bag)dip|lo|mat|ic bag (diplomatic bags)
[N-COUNT]
A diplomatic bag is a bag or container in which mail is sent to and from foreign embassies. Diplomatic bags are protected by law, so that they are not opened by anyone except the official or embassy they are addressed to. (BRIT; in AM, use diplomatic pouch)dog|gie bag (doggie bags)
[N-COUNT]
If you ask for a doggie bag in a restaurant, you ask for any food you have not eaten to be put into a bag for you to take home.duf|fel bag /d'ʌfəl bæg/ (duffel bags)
also duffle bag
[N-COUNT]
A duffel bag is a bag shaped like a cylinder and made of strong fabric such as canvas. A duffel bag has a string at one end that is used to close the bag and to carry it with.goody bag (goody bags)
[N-COUNT]
A goody bag is a bag of little gifts, often given away by manufacturers in order to encourage people to try their products. (INFORMAL)grab bag (grab bags)
1 [N-COUNT]
A grab bag is a game in which you take a prize out of a container full of hidden prizes. (AM; in BRIT, use lucky dip)
2 [N-COUNT] usu N of n
A grab bag of things, ideas, or people is a varied group of them.
...a fascinating grab-bag of documents about the life of Liszt.mixed bag
[N-SING] usu a N, oft N of n
If you describe a situation or a group of things or people as a mixed bag, you mean that it contains some good items, features, or people and some bad ones.
Research on athletes and ordinary human subjects has yielded a mixed bag of results...
This autumn's collections are a very mixed bag.punch|ing bag (punching bags)
[N-COUNT]
A punching bag is the same as a punchbag. (AM)sleep|ing bag (sleeping bags)
[N-COUNT]
A sleeping bag is a large deep bag with a warm lining, used for sleeping in, especially when you are camping.tea bag (tea bags)
also teabag
[N-COUNT]
Tea bags are small paper bags with tea leaves in them. You put them into hot water to make tea.toi|let bag (toilet bags)
[N-COUNT]
A toilet bag is a small bag in which you keep things such as soap, a flannel, and a toothbrush when you are travelling.
= sponge bag
1 [N-COUNT]
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] usu N of n
A bag of things is the amount of things contained in a bag.
2 [N-COUNT]
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] usu N of n
A bag of things is the amount of things contained in a bag.
3 [N-COUNT]
A bag is the same as a handbag.
4 [N-PLURAL]
If you have bags under your eyes, you have folds of skin there, usually because you have not had enough sleep.
5 [QUANT] QUANT of pl-n/n-uncount
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
6
see also bum bag, carrier bag, shoulder-bag, shoulder-bag, sleeping bag, tea bag
7 [PHRASE] usu v-link PHR
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.'
8
to let the cat out of the bag: see catbag lady (bag ladies)
[N-COUNT]
A bag lady is a homeless woman who carries her possessions in shopping bags.bean bag (bean bags)
also beanbag
[N-COUNT]
A bean bag is a large round cushion filled with tiny pieces of plastic or rubber. It takes the shape of your body when you sit on it.body bag (body bags)
[N-COUNT]
A body bag is a specially designed large plastic bag which is used to carry a dead body away, for example when someone has been killed in a battle or an accident.
...the prospect of young soldiers coming home in body bags.bum bag (bum bags)
[N-COUNT]
A bum bag consists of a small bag attached to a belt which you wear round your waist. You use it to carry things such as money and keys. (BRIT; in AM, use fanny pack)car|ri|er bag (carrier bags)
[N-COUNT]
A carrier bag is a bag made of plastic or paper which has handles and which you carry shopping in. (BRIT; in AM, usually use shopping bag)dip|lo|mat|ic bag (diplomatic bags)
[N-COUNT]
A diplomatic bag is a bag or container in which mail is sent to and from foreign embassies. Diplomatic bags are protected by law, so that they are not opened by anyone except the official or embassy they are addressed to. (BRIT; in AM, use diplomatic pouch)dog|gie bag (doggie bags)
[N-COUNT]
If you ask for a doggie bag in a restaurant, you ask for any food you have not eaten to be put into a bag for you to take home.duf|fel bag /d'ʌfəl bæg/ (duffel bags)
also duffle bag
[N-COUNT]
A duffel bag is a bag shaped like a cylinder and made of strong fabric such as canvas. A duffel bag has a string at one end that is used to close the bag and to carry it with.goody bag (goody bags)
[N-COUNT]
A goody bag is a bag of little gifts, often given away by manufacturers in order to encourage people to try their products. (INFORMAL)grab bag (grab bags)
1 [N-COUNT]
A grab bag is a game in which you take a prize out of a container full of hidden prizes. (AM; in BRIT, use lucky dip)
2 [N-COUNT] usu N of n
A grab bag of things, ideas, or people is a varied group of them.
...a fascinating grab-bag of documents about the life of Liszt.mixed bag
[N-SING] usu a N, oft N of n
If you describe a situation or a group of things or people as a mixed bag, you mean that it contains some good items, features, or people and some bad ones.
Research on athletes and ordinary human subjects has yielded a mixed bag of results...
This autumn's collections are a very mixed bag.punch|ing bag (punching bags)
[N-COUNT]
A punching bag is the same as a punchbag. (AM)sleep|ing bag (sleeping bags)
[N-COUNT]
A sleeping bag is a large deep bag with a warm lining, used for sleeping in, especially when you are camping.tea bag (tea bags)
also teabag
[N-COUNT]
Tea bags are small paper bags with tea leaves in them. You put them into hot water to make tea.toi|let bag (toilet bags)
[N-COUNT]
A toilet bag is a small bag in which you keep things such as soap, a flannel, and a toothbrush when you are travelling.
= sponge bag