sandbag

[ sand-bag ]
See synonyms for: sandbagsandbaggedsandbaggingsandbagger on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a bag filled with sand, used in fortification, as ballast, etc.

  2. such a bag used as a weapon.

verb (used with object),sand·bagged, sand·bag·ging.
  1. to furnish with sandbags.

  2. to hit or stun with a sandbag.

  1. Informal.

    • to set upon violently; attack from or as if from ambush.

    • to coerce or intimidate, as by threats: The election committee was sandbagged into nominating the officers for a second term.

    • to thwart or cause to fail or be rejected, especially surreptitiously or without warning: He sandbagged our proposal with his snide remarks to the boss.

    • Poker. to deceive (one or more opponents) into remaining in the pot by refraining from betting on a strong hand, then raising the bet in a later round.

    • Informal. to gain an advantage over (one or more competitors) by concealing one's abilities or other strengths early in a game or other competitive activity.

    • Informal. to gain an advantage by concealing or downplaying the strengths of (something): companies that sandbag their earnings estimates and then easily beat them to make everyone happy.

verb (used without object),sand·bagged, sand·bag·ging.
    • Poker. to sandbag one or more opponents.

    • Informal. to sandbag an opponent or competitor: guys that sandbag and fall back a little in the first race to get a better starting spot in the second.

Origin of sandbag

1
First recorded in 1580–90; sand + bag

Other words from sandbag

  • sandbagger, noun

Words Nearby sandbag

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use sandbag in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for sandbag

sandbag

/ (ˈsændˌbæɡ) /


noun
  1. a sack filled with sand used for protection against gunfire, floodwater, etc, or as ballast in a balloon, ship, etc

  2. a bag filled with sand and used as a weapon

verb-bags, -bagging or -bagged (tr)
  1. to protect or strengthen with sandbags

  2. to hit with or as if with a sandbag

  1. finance to obstruct (an unwelcome takeover bid) by prolonging talks in the hope that an acceptable bidder will come forward

Derived forms of sandbag

  • sandbagger, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012