Dictionary.com
definitions
  • synonyms

gunnysack

[guhn-ee-sak]
See more synonyms for gunnysack on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a sack made of gunny or burlap.
Show More

Origin of gunnysack

First recorded in 1860–65; gunny + sack1
Also called gun·ny-bag [guhn-ee-bag] /ˈgʌn iˌbæg/.

Regional variation note

Crocus sack, croker sack, grass sack, and towsack are widely used in the Southern U.S. as synonyms for gunnysack; crocus sack is used especially in the South Atlantic States and croker sack in the Gulf States, while grass sack and towsack are used especially in the South Midland U.S. Barley sack is a Southwestern U.S. term, used especially in California.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for gunnysack

Historical Examples

  • Half the gold stolen from the bank is in that gunnysack you have just dug up.

    The Yukon Trail

    William MacLeod Raine

  • Now, lift that gunnysack to your saddle and tie it on behind.

    The Sheriff's Son

    William MacLeod Raine

  • A gunnysack, half full of galley coal, was fastened to his feet.

    The Human Drift

    Jack London

  • The Scarecrow's head was a gunnysack filled with bran, on which the eyes, nose and mouth had been painted.

  • They came in last night after dark, after being gone in the interior for three weeks, carrying a gunnysack.

    Terry

    Charles Goff Thomson