Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A sturdy bag designed for carrying articles on a person's back, having shoulder straps and often mounted on a lightweight frame.
  • noun A piece of equipment, often containing life-support devices, designed to be used while being carried on the back.
  • intransitive verb To hike or travel while carrying a backpack.
  • intransitive verb To carry in a backpack.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun a bag carried on the back, supported by straps looped over the shoulders.
  • intransitive verb to hike while carrying a backpack; -- often used in the form go backpacking.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A knapsack, sometimes mounted on a light frame, but always supported by straps, worn on a person’s back for the purpose of carrying things, especially when hiking, or on a student's back when carrying books.
  • noun A similarly placed item containing a parachute or other life-support equipment.
  • verb intransitive To hike and camp overnight in backcountry with one's gear carried in a backpack.
  • verb intransitive To engage in low-cost, generally urban, travel with minimal luggage and frugal accommodations.
  • verb transitive To place or carry (an item or items) in a backpack.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a bag carried by a strap on your back or shoulder
  • noun a bag carried by a strap on your back or shoulder
  • verb hike with a backpack

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

back + pack

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Examples

Comments

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  • It's the only kind of luggage for me!

    November 17, 2007

  • What, no haversack?

    November 17, 2007

  • On a day-trip I would pack a haversack. But not for a long voyage. Unless I was doing it in a Dick Whittington-style.

    November 17, 2007

  • Thrice mayor of London!

    This is way off topic, but I remember when I discovered that Dick Whittington really *was* Mayor of London. I was thrilled.

    November 17, 2007

  • It's a story with relevance for us all. Turn again, chained_bear!

    November 17, 2007

  • This morning, for the second time, I left the house I live in with my backpack open. Not until I sat on the train I realized that, since no one of the fifty people (maybe more) that saw it told me.

    Welcome to New York City.

    March 25, 2009

  • Instead of being surprised that no one told you, you should be surprised that no-one removed the contents.

    March 25, 2009

  • My thoughts exactly. We were just having a conversation in class this morning about ways to invite petty theft of one's personal belongings on the streets of Madrid. The open backpack was high on the list. (Unfortunately, looking Japanese or Korean seemed to top the list).

    March 25, 2009

  • You know, it's definitely a good thing that Pro's belongings aren't missing now, but I have to say, New Yorkers are much friendlier and saner than they are usually given credit for.

    But I still like all those crazy New York stories. :)

    March 25, 2009

  • I love to go a wan-der-ing

    Along a mountain track.

    Oh I love to go a wan-der-ing

    With my backpack on my back.

    Fol-de-ree-ee

    Fol-de-rah-ah

    Fol-de-ree-ee

    Fol-de-rah-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah

    Fol-de-ree-ee

    Fol-de-rah-ah

    With my back pack on my back!

    March 26, 2009

  • Try Asia, Pro. If your backpack's not open a scroat with a knife will give you some help.

    March 26, 2009

  • Nobody is listing scroat. Why don't you?

    March 26, 2009

  • yarb, I don't know if there is something missing, since I can't remember what was in it...

    March 26, 2009