Adjacent Words

sandbag definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a bag filled with sand; used as a weapon or to build walls or as ballast v
1: treat harshly or unfairly
2: compel by coercion, threats, or crude means; "They sandbagged him to make dinner for everyone" [syn: dragoon, sandbag, railroad]
3: hit something or somebody as if with a sandbag [syn: sandbag, stun]
4: downplay one's ability (towards others) in a game in order to deceive, as in gambling
5: protect or strengthen with sandbags; stop up; "The residents sandbagged the beach front"

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Date: 1590 a bag filled with sand and used in fortifications, as ballast, or as a weapon II. verb Date: 1860 transitive verb 1. to bank, stop up, or weight with sandbags 2. a. to hit or stun with or as if with a sandbag b. to treat unfairly or harshly c. to coerce by crude means <are raiding the Treasury and sandbagging the government — C. W. Ferguson> d. to conceal or misrepresent one's true position, potential, or intent especially in order to take advantage of intransitive verb to hide the truth about oneself so as to gain an advantage over another • sandbagger noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. a bag filled with sand for use: 1 (in fortification) for making temporary defences or for the protection of a building etc. against blast and splinters or floodwaters. 2 as ballast esp. for a boat or balloon. 3 as a weapon to inflict a heavy blow without leaving a mark. 4 to stop a draught from a window or door. --v.tr. (-bagged, -bagging) 1 barricade or defend. 2 place sandbags against (a window, chink, etc.). 3 fell with a blow from a sandbag. 4 US coerce by harsh means. Derivatives: sandbagger n.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(sandbags, sandbagging, sandbagged) 1. A sandbag is a cloth bag filled with sand. Sandbags are usually used to build walls for protection against floods or explosions. N-COUNT 2. To sandbag something means to protect or strengthen it using sandbags. They sandbagged their homes to keep out floods. VERB: V n