bago
A1Neutral to informal, depending on extended sense.
Definition
Meaning
A flexible container made of paper, cloth, plastic, etc., used for carrying or storing items.
Can refer to a woman's handbag; an amount of game shot by a hunter; a situation or environment (e.g., 'in the bag' meaning secured); a style or category (e.g., 'that's not my bag').
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The core meaning is highly frequent and concrete. Many extended meanings and idioms are informal, slang, or fixed expressions.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
UK 'handbag' vs. US 'purse' for a woman's bag. UK 'carrier bag' vs. US 'shopping bag'. 'Bag' for 'pursue/obtain' is more common in US ("bag a trophy").
Connotations
Similar core connotations. 'Bag' as an insult for an unattractive woman is offensive slang in both, but slightly more dated in UK.
Frequency
Core meaning equally frequent. Idiomatic use (e.g., 'in the bag', 'bag and baggage') slightly more common in UK.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
bag + noun (bag a prize)bag + up (bag up leaves)have + a + bag + of + noun (have a bag of apples)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “in the bag”
- “bag and baggage”
- “let the cat out of the bag”
- “mixed bag”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Informal: 'to bag a deal/client'. Retail: 'bagging area'.
Academic
Rare in formal text, except in specific fields (e.g., biology: 'bag a specimen').
Everyday
Extremely common for shopping, travel, storage.
Technical
Medicine: 'breathing bag'; Computing: 'bag of words model'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He managed to bag the last ticket.
- Could you bag up these vegetables for me?
American English
- She bagged a great parking spot.
- He bagged three deer during the season.
adverb
British English
- (Rare as pure adverb) The coat hung baggily on him.
American English
- (Rare as pure adverb) The pants fit a bit baggy.
adjective
British English
- The bag search took ages at the airport.
- She had a bag lady appearance.
American English
- Bag lunches are common in schools.
- He was a bag phone user in the 90s.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I need a bag for my shopping.
- Her bag is very heavy.
- Can I have a bag, please?
- He packed his bag for the trip.
- Don't forget your gym bag.
- This plastic bag is tearing.
- She's a woman of many interests – a real mixed bag.
- The victory was in the bag after the first half.
- He helped me bag up the leaves.
- The critic panned the film, calling it a bag of clichés.
- The new policy is a mixed bag of benefits and drawbacks.
- They left the city bag and baggage.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a SAGgy BAG – both words rhyme and describe something that hangs down loosely when full.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONTAINERS FOR IDEAS (e.g., 'a bag of tricks'), ACQUISITION IS CATCHING GAME ('bag a promotion').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- False friend: Russian 'банка' (bánka) is a jar/tin, not a bag. A bag is 'сумка' (súmka) or 'пакет' (pakét).
- Don't translate 'handbag' literally as 'ручная сумка'; it's just 'сумка'.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect plural: 'bags' not 'bagges'.
- Using 'bag' for rigid containers (use 'box', 'tin').
- "I put it into *the* bag" (often correct with 'the' or 'a', but can be omitted in certain contexts like 'in bag').
Practice
Quiz
Which of these is an idiom meaning 'to reveal a secret'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is almost always countable (a bag, two bags). The uncountable use is very rare (e.g., 'made of bag material').
'Sack' often implies a larger, coarser bag, typically made of hessian/burlap for coal, potatoes, or flour. 'Bag' is the more general, everyday term.
Yes, commonly meaning 1) to put into a bag, 2) to catch/kill game, or 3) (informal) to obtain/secure something desirable.
In the UK, 'purse' is a small container for coins/notes (US: 'wallet' or 'change purse'). In the US, 'purse' is the general term for a woman's hand-held bag. 'Handbag' is understood but less common in everyday US speech.