Sekirov Dictionary

handbag

/ˈhændˌbæɡ/

noun 3
verb 1
forms 3
phrases 1

noun3

•
(Commonwealth) A small bag used chiefly by women for carrying various small personal items, sometimes considered as a fashion accessory.
- An enormous amount of off-book money sloshes around Chinese business and officialdom, and some of it runs into handbags. — 2013
Ellipsis of handbag house.
•
(no longer used) A small bag carried in the hand, used either when travelling or to carry tools for a specific job.
- From a little hand-bag he extracted his automatic pistol, which he put upon the mantelpiece. — 1925

verb1

•
(UK, humorous) To attack verbally or subject to criticism (typically used of a woman).
- ‘Apparently Birt happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time on Sunday afternoon. Virginia saw him and handbagged him. She really was very cross.’ — 1995

forms

handbagged · handbagging · handbags

Phrases with handbag

smell like a tart's handbag
To smell strongly of perfume.

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