bag
gb/bˈæɡ/ us/bˈæɡ/
A1
English
~ 1400
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A1
entity
1
Flexible container for carrying things
A soft container you use to carry or keep things, often made of paper, plastic, or cloth.
Usage pattern:
a [material] bag
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'bag' with 'purse' or 'wallet', which are specific types of bags for money and small items.
Synonyms
sack (Often larger and made of rough material like burlap; less common in everyday urban use.)
|
pouch (Smaller and often used for holding small items securely.)
Antonyms
box (A rigid container rather than a flexible one.)
Collocations
plastic bag
|shopping bag
|handbag
|paper bag
|school bag
Themes
daily life
|shopping
|travel
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She put the groceries into a paper bag.
- I always carry a small bag for my lunch.
- He left his gym bag in the locker room.
- The gift came in a shiny red bag.
- A school bag was lying under the desk.
Learner examples
- I have a bag for my books.
- She puts her clothes in a bag.
- This bag is very heavy.
- My bag is on the chair.
Noun
informal
B1
entity
2
Large amount collected at once
A lot of something valuable that you get at one time.
Synonyms
haul (Informal term for a large amount collected, often after effort.)
Collocations
a bag of money
|a big bag of points
Themes
money
|sports
|finance
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The player scored a bag of goals this season.
- They walked away with a bag of cash.
- That was quite a bag of awards for one night.
Learner examples
- He got a bag of gold.
- She won a bag of prizes.
- They have a bag of coins.
Verb
A2
action
3
Put something into a bag
To put something inside a bag.
Usage pattern:
to bag [something]
Synonyms
pack (Can refer to putting items into any container, not just a bag.)
Antonyms
unpack (To remove items from a container.)
Collocations
bag groceries
|bag clothes
|bag items
Themes
daily life
|shopping
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Please bag the groceries before they get warm.
- She bagged all her clothes before moving.
- The store clerk quickly bagged my purchases.
Learner examples
- I will bag the apples.
- He bags the toys.
- She bags her lunch.
Verb
informal
B1
action
4
Catch or obtain something successfully
To get something you want, often after trying hard.
Usage pattern:
to bag [something valuable]
Synonyms
secure (More formal; emphasizes guaranteed possession.)
Antonyms
lose (Fail to keep or obtain something.)
Collocations
bag a job
|bag a trophy
|bag a seat
Themes
sports
|hunting
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He bagged three deer during the hunting season.
- She managed to bag her dream job.
- We arrived early to bag front-row seats.
Learner examples
- He bagged two fish today.
- She bagged the first prize.
- They bagged the best seats.
Noun
informal
B2
entity
5
Unpleasant woman (offensive)
A rude word for an unpleasant woman.
Synonyms
hag (Old-fashioned and insulting; often implies age and ugliness.)
Collocations
old bag
Themes
people
|relationships
|communication
Examples
- He called her an old bag, which was very rude.
- Some people still use 'bag' as an insult for women.
- That old bag yelled at us for no reason.
Learner examples
- He called her an old bag.
- The man said she is a bag.
- 'Bag' can be a bad word for a woman.
Grammar
Dictionary form
bag
IPA
GB/bˈæɡ/
US/bˈæɡ/
Syllables & stress
bag (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (bag)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: bag
- Plural: bags
Verb
- Base: bag
- 3rd Person Singular: bags
- Present Participle: bagging
- Past: bagged
Word family
Forms
bags
noun
bagging
verb
bagged
verb
Core family
baggy
adjective
baggage
noun B1
Related words
handbag
noun A2
schoolbag
noun
Advanced or less common
bagful
noun
Highlights
- Irregular present participle: bagging Verb
- Irregular past: bagged Verb
Expressions
bag and baggage
1/bˈæɡ ˈænd bˈæɡɪd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
Leave with all belongings completely
To leave somewhere taking everything you own with you.
Examples
- She left him, bag and baggage, after the argument.
- They moved out, bag and baggage, last weekend.
grab (something) by the bagful
1/ɡɹˈæb sˈʌmθɪŋ bˈaɪ ðə bˈæɡfˌʊl/
fixed phrase
informal
Take large amounts at once
To take or get a lot of something at one time.
Examples
- Fans were grabbing merchandise by the bagful.
- Donations came in by the bagful after the news report.
in the bag
1/ˈɪn ðə bˈæɡ/
idiom
informal
Certain to be achieved or won
Certain to win or get something.
Examples
- With only two minutes left, victory was in the bag.
- The deal is practically in the bag now.
let the cat out of the bag
1/lˈɛt ðə kˈæt ˈaʊt əv ðə bˈæɡ/
idiom
informal
Reveal a secret by mistake
To tell something secret by accident or too soon.
Examples
- I was trying to keep it a surprise, but John let the cat out of the bag.
- She let the cat out of the bag about their engagement.
let the cat out of the bag
2/lˈɛt ðə kˈæt ˈaʊt əv ðə bˈæɡ/
idiom
Reveal a secret too soon
To tell someone a secret by mistake or too early.
Examples
- He let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.
- Don't let the cat out of the bag before her birthday.