carpetbag

American  

[kahr-pit-bag] / ˈkɑr pɪtˌbæg /

noun

1. a bag for traveling, especially one made of carpeting.

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verb (used without object)

carpetbagged, carpetbagging

1. to journey with little luggage.

2. to act as a carpetbagger.

carpetbag British  

/ ˈkɑːpɪtˌbæɡ /

noun

1. a travelling bag originally made of carpeting

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Etymology

Origin of carpetbag

First recorded in 1820–30; carpet + bag

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

carpetbag carpetbagging

Some distance away, beyond the shade of the awning, a low white, with what I guessed to be all his possessions in a carpetbag, smoked tobacco.

From The New Yorker ● Jun. 3, 2019

Re-reading it now from the misty vantage point of middle age, I hardly recognise the solitary figure who shouldered a carpetbag for 4,185km.

From The Guardian ● Jan. 6, 2019

So the new sequel, directed by Rob Marshall and starring Emily Blunt, carried a rather heavy carpetbag, you might say.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 12, 2018

The magically inclined caregiver wears a flower-embellished hat, blue trench coat and is carrying Poppins' iconic carpetbag.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 4, 2017

Penelope clutched her carpetbag with one hand and Alexander’s sweaty fingers with the other.

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood

Why do voters respond positively to deeply rooted candidates and negatively to their carpetbagging counterparts?

From Salon ● Aug. 19, 2022

Both Mr. McCormick and Dr. Oz were accused of carpetbagging.

From New York Times ● May 17, 2022

And the 50-year-old was vulnerable to accusations of carpetbagging.

From Washington Post ● May 10, 2022

He makes it sound like carpetbagging lawyers are bypassing judges and juries and magically enriching themselves simply by filing unfounded lawsuits against livestock operators.

From Washington Times ● Apr. 3, 2017

I think she has found out about the carpetbagging.

From Andrew the Glad by Daviess, Maria Thompson