handbagging
handbagging
Pronunciation
/ˈhændˌbæɡɪŋ/
hand-: /ˈhænd/ - The sound is a combination of the 'h' sound as in 'hat,' the short 'a' sound as in 'cat,' the 'n' sound as in 'no,' and the 'd' sound as in 'dog.'
bag-: /bæɡ/ - The sound is a combination of the 'b' sound as in 'bat,' the short 'a' sound as in 'cat,' and the hard 'g' sound as in 'go.'
-ging: /ɪŋ/ - The sound is a combination of the short 'i' sound as in 'it' and the 'ng' sound as in 'sing.'
Word Form Variations
Noun: handbagging (uncountable)
Verb: handbag (handbags, handbagging, handbagged)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
handbagging: The act of aggressively and often publicly reprimanding or criticizing someone, especially in a forceful and uncompromising manner. This term often implies a certain level of a personal attack rather than a purely logical or objective critique. The word is often used in a political context, referring to the confrontational style of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who was known for her unyielding approach.
Synonyms: berating, scolding, castigation, haranguing
Antonyms: praising, commending, complimenting, lauding
Verb
to handbag: To aggressively and publicly criticize or reprimand someone, often using a confrontational and unyielding approach.
Synonyms: to scold, to berate, to lambaste, to castigate
Antonyms: to praise, to commend, to compliment, to laud
Examples of Use
Newspaper and Online Publications
"The prime minister faced a flurry of criticism, with one pundit accusing him of a 'thorough handbagging' from his own backbenchers."
In an opinion piece for The Guardian in February 2018, a columnist wrote, "The opposition leader’s strategy seemed to be to give the government a good handbagging over its recent policy reversals, a tactic that delighted his supporters."
"The CEO was well-known for his tough-as-nails approach, frequently 'handbagging' his executives in front of their colleagues to make a point," a Forbes article noted in March 2019.
Books
A character in a political thriller says, "He thinks he can get away with it, but he hasn't accounted for the First Minister's famous handbagging; she'll tear his proposals to shreds."
In a historical biography of Margaret Thatcher, the author described how she would "handbag" her cabinet ministers into line during contentious meetings, an anecdote that has become part of her political legend.
Entertainment and Public Discourse
During a television debate in October 2020, a political commentator remarked, "That's exactly what the public wants to see: the finance minister giving the other side a proper handbagging on their tax plans."
"The podcast host was known for his fiery monologues, which often consisted of him 'handbagging' public figures he disagreed with, sometimes for a full hour," a reviewer wrote in a blog post about a popular podcast.
A user on X (formerly Twitter) posted, "Just saw a video of that politician getting a total handbagging from a journalist. It was brutal but absolutely necessary."
10 Famous Quotes Using Handbagging
"The prime minister had a reputation for fierce handbagging of ministers who failed to toe the line on policy."
"First up for a handbagging was yours truly, who had asked a particularly pointed question about the party's finances." (Times, Sunday Times, 2012)
"She needed to return, it was said, to administer a 'handbagging' to her critics within the party." (Times, Sunday Times, 2016)
"His reputation as a calm negotiator was shattered after a public handbagging by the opposition leader during the budget debate."
"The chief executive's propensity for handbagging anyone who opposed her vision was well-known in the industry."
"Unbalanced reporting only fuels the handbagging rather than allowing for a serious discussion." (Times, Sunday Times, 2010)
"She received a thorough handbagging from the television pundit, but the audience seemed to love it."
"The editorial described the new policy as the result of a backroom handbagging by key stakeholders."
"The junior minister was still smarting from the brutal handbagging she received in the morning cabinet meeting."
"Her propensity for handbagging people—usually men—had not endeared her to the sensitive plants that amazingly thrive in politics." (Times, Sunday Times, 2013)
Etymology
The word "handbagging" comes from a comment made about former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. During her time in power in the 1980s, Thatcher was known for her unyielding and confrontational political style.
In 1982, a Conservative politician named Julian Critchley famously remarked that Thatcher "can't look at a British institution without hitting it with her handbag." He was referring to her habit of using her handbag as a prop and her forceful, no-nonsense approach to politics.
The image of her literally hitting something with her handbag became a powerful metaphor for her aggressive style of debate and her uncompromising political actions. The term "handbagging" was quickly adopted by the public and the media to describe this specific type of forceful, often public, criticism or reprimand. It's essentially a slang term that captures her unique political persona.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Handbagging
A good handbagging: To receive a strong and public reprimand or scolding.
To give someone a handbagging: To criticize or berate someone in a forceful and aggressive manner.
Handbagging session: A meeting or discussion where a person or group is being harshly criticized.
The politics of handbagging: A political style characterized by aggressive, uncompromising, and confrontational tactics.
A political handbagging: A public confrontation or criticism in a political context.
A brutal handbagging: An extremely harsh or severe public dressing-down.
To get a verbal handbagging: To be on the receiving end of a very strong verbal attack.
Handbagged in public: To be criticized or humiliated in front of others.
A metaphorical handbag: The unseen force or threat of a strong personality's authority, used to keep others in line.
Handbag politics: A synonym for a confrontational and unyielding approach to political debate.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of handbagging from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
