sandbag
Meaning
a bag filled with sand, used for building walls as a defence against floods or explosions
to unfairly put someone at a disadvantage, especially by not allowing them to use their full ability
to force someone to do something by using threats or pressure
Structure
Usage
Volunteers worked through the night to stack sandbags along the rising river.
The experienced player was accused of sandbagging in the early rounds to get a better handicap.
They tried to sandbag him into accepting the deal by threatening to reveal old information.
Etymology
The word 'sandbag' is a transparent compound formed from two ancient Germanic roots. 'Sand' descends from Proto-Germanic sandam, referring to the coarse granular substance, while 'bag' comes from the Old Norse 'baggi', meaning a bundle or sack. Literally meaning a 'bag filled with sand', its primary concrete use for fortification and ballast is directly logical. The modern figurative verb senses, such as to hinder or coerce, evolved metaphorically from the idea of being weighed down or pinned by a heavy, inert object like a sandbag.
Analysis
'sand' originates from Old English 'sand', of Germanic origin. It functions as the defining material in this compound noun. 'bag' originates from Old Norse 'baggi', also of Germanic origin. It functions as the object or container in this compound noun.