handbag
/ˈhændˌbæɡ/ · noun
Meaning
- A small bag carried in the hand, used either when travelling or to carry tools for a specific job.
- A small bag used chiefly by women for carrying various small personal items, sometimes considered as a fashion accessory.
- Ellipsis of handbag house.
- To attack verbally or subject to criticism (typically used of a woman).
Etymology / origin
From hand + bag. The music genre is named from women dancing around a pile of their handbags in nightclubs. The verb is a reference to Margaret Thatcher's handbag.
Related words
Descendant words
- sac à main(French) (calque)
- ハンドバッグ(Japanese) (bor)
- 핸드백(Korean) (bor)
- beg tangan(Malay) (clq)
- ainpehk(Mokilese) (bor)
- handbag(Tagalog) (bor)
Sources
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