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definitions

carpetbag

[kahr-pit-bag]
noun
  1. a bag for traveling, especially one made of carpeting.
verb (used without object), car·pet·bagged, car·pet·bag·ging.
  1. to journey with little luggage.
  2. to act as a carpetbagger.

Origin of carpetbag

First recorded in 1820–30; carpet + bag
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for carpetbag

Historical Examples of carpetbag

  • He's too honest entirely to stale the value of a pin, let alone a carpetbag.

    Brave and Bold

    Horatio Alger

  • When the boy got through, he cast a speculative glance at the carpetbag.

    Brave and Bold

    Horatio Alger

  • I gave him my carpetbag to carry this morning, and he ran away with it.

    Brave and Bold

    Horatio Alger

  • The boy shouldered the carpetbag and started in advance, Robert following.

    Brave and Bold

    Horatio Alger

  • For I read on your carpetbag, when we met in the orchard, 'P. Bug.

    The Tale of Mrs. Ladybug

    Arthur Scott Bailey

British Dictionary definitions for carpetbag

carpetbag

noun
  1. a travelling bag originally made of carpeting
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
Word Origin and History for carpetbag
n.

also carpet-bag, "soft-cover traveling case made of carpet fabric," 1830, from carpet (n.) + bag (n.).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper