bag
- 01 A1 Beginner
n.a container made of thin material like paper, plastic, or cloth used to carry things.
n.a flexible container with an opening at the top, typically made of paper, plastic, or fabric, used for carrying or storing goods.
Simple“He carried the heavy groceries home in a large paper bag.”
In context“The supermarket has transitioned to biodegradable bags to reduce the environmental impact of single-use plastics.”
- 02 A1 Beginner
n.a stronger container with handles used for personal items or travel.
n.a durable container, often with handles or straps, designed for personal belongings or luggage.
Simple“She realized she had left her bag on the bus this morning.”
In context“The traveler checked his bag at the counter before proceeding through security to the departure gate.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.puffy or dark skin under your eyes, usually because you are tired.
n.loose or puffy skin under the eyes, typically associated with exhaustion or aging. Usually plural.
Simple“He had dark bags under his eyes after staying up all night.”
In context“Chronic sleep deprivation often manifests physically as prominent bags under the eyes and a generally sallow complexion.”
Synonymspuffiness - 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a lot of something.
n.a large quantity or abundance of something. Often used in the plural 'bags of'.
Simple“Don't worry about the snacks; we have bags of crisps in the kitchen.”
In context“The young candidate has bags of enthusiasm, though he lacks the professional experience required for such a senior role.”
- 05 C1 Advanced
n.the kind of thing that you like or are interested in.
n.an individual's particular area of interest, expertise, or preference.
Simple“I'm not going to the jazz club; it's just not my bag.”
In context“While some enjoy the technicalities of tax law, it was never really his bag, so he moved into criminal defense instead.”
Synonyms - 06 C2 Proficiency
n.a group of things where the same item can appear more than once.
n.a collection of objects in which the order does not matter but elements may be repeated.
Simple“In this math problem, we treat the group of numbers as a bag.”
In context“Unlike a standard set, a bag allows for multiple instances of the same value, which is useful for certain computational algorithms.”
SynonymsmultisetAntonyms - 07 A2 Elementary
- 08 B1 Intermediate
v.to succeed in getting or catching something before anyone else.
v.to succeed in securing, catching, or claiming something, often through quick action.
Simple“I managed to bag a seat right at the front of the bus.”
In context“The company managed to bag a lucrative contract with the government despite stiff competition from larger firms.”
- 09 C1 Advanced
v.to say mean or critical things about someone.
v.to criticize or mock someone in a harsh or sarcastic manner.
Simple“Stop bagging him just because he made one small mistake.”
In context“The local press spent the entire week bagging the team's performance after their unexpected loss in the finals.”
Teacher's tipThis sense is specific to Australian and New Zealand English; learners should use 'criticize' in other regions.