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handbag

Pronunciation: /ˈhændˌbæɡ/

The English word “handbag” has 3 meanings listed here.

noun

  1. A small bag carried in the hand, used either when travelling or to carry tools for a specific job.
  2. A small bag used chiefly by women for carrying various small personal items, sometimes considered as a fashion accessory.

verb

  1. To attack verbally or subject to criticism (typically used of a woman).

Etymology

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.

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