Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A traveling bag made of carpet fabric that was used chiefly in the United States during the 1800s.
- adjective Carpetbagging.
from The Century Dictionary.
- To act or live in the manner of a carpet-bagger.
- noun A traveling-bag made of carpeting on a frame; hence, by extension, a traveling-bag of any kind similarly formed.
- Of or characteristic of carpet-baggers: as, carpet-bag government; carpet-bag politics.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun A portable bag for travelers; -- so called because originally made of carpet.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective having the characteristics of
carpetbaggers - noun A traveling bag made from
carpet scraps used primarily in the United States in the 19th century. - verb To come to a place or organisation with which one has no previous connection with the sole or primary aim of personal gain, especially
political orfinancial gain.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective presumptuously seeking success or a position in a new locality
- adjective following the practices or characteristic of carpetbaggers
- noun traveling bag made of carpet; widely used in 19th century
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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His decision to immediately depart that position and to "carpetbag" over from Burbank/Glendale over into the Eastern San Fernando Valley would not be met with joy by many of the voters who elected him in November.
Archive 2009-06-01 2009
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Such states as had complied and given the negro the right to vote were under "carpetbag" rule.
A School History of the United States John Bach McMaster 1892
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Albert carried Sue May's hatbox and carpetbag, and I struggled from the first with my Samsonite.
Locust Valley Breakdown Andrew Edwards 2012
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Quoting a song called "Mississippi" in a concession speech from Wisconsin: Is Feingold hinting that he might carpetbag southward for an eventual comeback?
Election 2010: A walk on the mild side of victory (or defeat) parties Dan Zak 2010
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This talk of finding a place to carpetbag to is ridiculous.
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Taking the hatbox and carpetbag, she went back on the trail, a receding frail figure in a burgundy dress.
Locust Valley Breakdown Andrew Edwards 2012
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In Syfy's new series Hollywood Treasure (Wednesdays at 10/9c), auctioneer Maddalena travels the world to save the cultural artifacts from film and history — including the original Wicked Witch of the West's hat from The Wizard of Oz and Mary Poppin's bottomless carpetbag — that have wound up people's garages and basements.
What's Become of Veruca's Golden Ticket to Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory? 2010
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"Abraham Lincoln" stepped from the gray Toyota minivan outside the Baltimore train station Wednesday, grabbed his carpetbag and leather valise and put on his stovepipe hat.
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Candace Chesterwood tossed a stack of silk handkerchiefs and a lavender pomade into her threadbare carpetbag and closed the latches with an authoritative snap.
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"Abraham Lincoln" stepped from the gray Toyota minivan outside the Baltimore train station Wednesday, grabbed his carpetbag and leather valise and put on his stovepipe hat.
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