baggage

B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Informal

n. the bad experiences or feelings from your past that affect your current life or relationships.

n. metaphorical psychological burdens or past experiences that impede a person's current emotional functioning or interpersonal relationships.

“We all have some emotional baggage from our previous relationships.”

“He entered the new partnership carrying significant professional baggage, which made him hesitant to trust his colleagues' creative decisions.”

C2 · Proficiency Uncountable noun Military Formal · Technical

n. the equipment and supplies that an army carries with it.

n. the portable equipment, supplies, and support machinery of an army. Often refers to the 'baggage train' in a historical context.

“The army's progress was slow because of the heavy baggage they had to move.”

“The general ordered the baggage to be left behind to ensure the infantry could reach the mountain pass before the enemy's arrival.”

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Archaic · Literary

n. an old, rude word for a woman who is seen as annoying or bold.

n. a derogatory term for a woman, particularly one perceived as saucy or impudent. This sense is largely obsolete in modern speech.

“In the old play, the character calls the servant a 'saucy baggage' for talking back.”

“The protagonist's aunt dismissed the young girl as a mere baggage, showing little respect for her social standing.”