bag

BAG/ˈbæɡ/

Pluralbags

Verbbags, bagging, bagged

36 meanings of bag

Practice

1
soft containernouncountable
A soft container made of paper, cloth, or thin plastic that holds food or other things.
She put the apples in a paper bag.
The flour comes in a two-pound bag.
Similarsack, tote
2
carrying casenouncountable
A container, usually with handles, that you use to carry your things, like a backpack, purse, or suitcase.
Don't forget your bag when you get off the bus.
She packed a small bag for the weekend trip.
UsageSay pack a bag for a trip.
3
claimverbtransitive
To get something before other people can, or to say it is yours first.
He bagged the last seat on the bus.
Let's get there early and bag a good table.
UsageSay bag a seat or bag a good table.
Similargrab, claim, secure, snag, nab
Note
4
verbtransitive
To put things into a bag.
The clerk bagged the groceries and handed them over.
Could you bag these oranges for me?
UsageAlso bag up: bag up the trash.
Similarpack, package, sack
Oppositeunpack
5
drug packetnounslangcountable
A small packet that holds illegal drugs.
The police found a small bag of drugs in the car.
Officers searched the trunk and pulled three bags of pills from under the spare tire.
UsageOften a bag of + the drug: a bag of weed.
Similarpacket
Note

Less common meanings

6
under-eye circlenouncountableplural
Puffy or loose skin under the eye, often from too little sleep or getting older.
She pressed a cold spoon against the bag under her left eye.
Dark bags under his eyes showed how late he had stayed up.
UsageSay he has bags under his eyes.
Note
7
catch (hunting)verbcolloquialtransitive
To catch or kill an animal while hunting or fishing.
Grandpa bagged two rabbits on his morning hunt.
They went out early to bag some ducks before the rain.
Similarcatch, kill, shoot, land, net
Note
8
tastenouncolloquialcountable
The kind of thing a person likes or enjoys.
Scary movies aren't really my bag.
Loud parties were never his bag.
UsageSay scary movies are not my bag.
Similarpreference, taste, liking, thing, penchant
Note
9
lotsnouncolloquialUK
A very large amount of something.
We've got bags of time before the movie starts.
She has bags of energy in the morning.
UsageSay bags of time for a lot of time.
Similarlots, loads, plenty, heaps, tons
10
base (baseball)nouncountable
In baseball, one of the bases, or the soft cushion that marks it.
He reached the bag safely on a very close play.
She stole two bags in one game.
Similarbase
Note
11
hunt totalnouncountable
The number of animals caught or killed on a hunting or fishing trip.
Their bag for the day was two rabbits and a duck.
By sunset the hunters' bag had grown to five birds.
UsageSay the day's bag for all the animals caught.
Similarcatch, haul, kill
Note
12
arrestverbslangtransitive
To catch and arrest someone.
The police bagged the thief two streets from the store.
Officers hope to bag the robber before he strikes again.
UsagePeople say he got bagged by the police.
Similarnick
Oppositerelease
Note
13
stealverbslangtransitive
To take and keep something that is not yours.
Someone bagged my wallet while I slept on the bus.
Thieves on the train like to bag phones from open pockets.
Similarsteal, pinch, swipe, nick, lift
Note
14
scrotumnounslangvulgarcountable
A rude word for the pouch of skin that holds a man's testicles.
He took a soccer ball right in the bag and dropped to the ground.
He complained that the hard bike seat was squashing his bag.
Similarnutsack
15
hang looseverbintransitive
To hang loose or puff out, like a bag.
His old sweater bags at the elbows.
Cheap jeans bag at the knees after a few wears.
UsageSay jeans bag at the knees.
Similarsag, bulge, droop
Note
16
ditchverbtransitive
To forget about something, ignore it, or throw it away.
Let's bag the beach trip. It looks like rain.
She bagged the idea of a big party and kept things small.
UsageOften a short order: Bag that!
Similarditch, skip, drop, scrap, abandon
Note
17
woman's breastnounslangcountable
A woman's breast.
UsageThis is a rude word. Do not use it to describe someone.
Similarboobs, breasts, bosom
Note
18
moneynounslangcountable or uncountable
A slang word for money, mostly used in set phrases.
He works two jobs trying to get the bag.
She moved to the city to chase the bag.
UsageSay get the bag for getting money.
Similarmoney, cash, dough
Note
19
sacnouncountable
A soft pocket inside an animal's body that holds liquid or something else.
A bee stores nectar in a special bag inside its body.
The snake's venom sits in a small bag behind its fangs.
Similarsac, pouch
Note
20
uddernouncountable
The part under a cow that holds its milk.
The cow's bag was full, so it was time for milking.
The farmer felt the goat's bag to check for swelling.
Similarudder
21
hand ventilateverbtransitive
To push air into someone's lungs by squeezing a soft bag attached to a face mask.
Like using a hand pump to fill a tire with air, but the air goes into a person's lungs to help them breathe.
Paramedics bag a patient who cannot breathe on their own.
The medic bagged the hiker until the rescue helicopter arrived.
Similarventilate
Note
22
breathalyzernouncountable
A machine the police use to test a driver's breath for alcohol.
The officer told him to blow into the bag.
He refused the bag and lost his license right away.
UsageSay blow into the bag.
Similarbreathalyzer
Note
23
nounderogatorycountable
A rude, unkind word for a woman someone thinks is ugly.
The mean boy called her a bag, and she ran off crying.
On the bus, a rude man made fun of a woman's looks and said she was a bag.
UsagePeople say old bag to insult a woman. It is rude.
Similarhag, dog
Note
24
nouncountable
The amount that fits in a bag, such as food you buy or eat.
He ate a whole bag of chips during the movie.
We bought two bags of rice for the party.
UsageSay a bag of rice, two bags of apples.
25
verbslangAustraliatransitive
To make fun of someone or something to show you think it is not good.
Fans love to bag the umpire when their team loses.
My brother bagged my cooking all through dinner.
UsageFans bag a bad team. Not everyone knows this word, so criticize is safer.
Similarslam, knock, rubbish, mock, pan
Oppositepraise
26
verb
To fit or supply something with a bag.
a bee bagged with his honeyed venom
1690, [John] Dryden, Don SebastianHere, bagged means carrying a bag or sac, filled with something.
27
verb
To attach a bag to a person to collect their urine.
28
nounUS
A unit used to measure cement, equal to 94 pounds.
29
noun
In math, a group of things where the same thing can appear more than once, and order does not matter.
30
noun
A small pouch men wore long ago at the back of the head to hold the hair of a wig.
He had on a suit of Manchester velvet, Lined with white satten, a Bag, lace Ruffles, and a very handsome sword which the King had given to him.
1774, Frances Burney, Journals & LettersHere, a Bag is a small pouch at the back of the neck holding wig hair.
31
verb
To slowly drift away from the course a boat should follow.
32
nounslangUS
Another gay man, used among gay men.
33
noundialectalCockney
A thousand pounds in British money.
34
verbslang
To get a woman to come away with you for love or sex.
35
verbobsolete
To start carrying a baby.
36
verbslang
To be unable to stop laughing.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of bag apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

Old Norse baggi meant a bag or bundle. It became bagge in Middle English. No one knows where the word came from before that.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

Old Norse baggi meant a bag or bundle. en.wiktionary.org
Middle English bagge derives from Old Norse baggi. en.wiktionary.org
The earlier origin of baggi is unknown. en.wiktionary.org