2006-08-10 08:23:11 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
My dictionary defines swag as : To sway, to sag, a bundle, pack or bluey. booty obtained by theft or plunder. So the swag bag was something to keep it in. I remember as a child in the 1950's you would often see strip cartoons in the newspaper showing a burglur carrying a sack over his shoulder with the word Swag written on it.
2006-08-10 09:05:59 · answer #1 · answered by quatt47 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Swag means 'swing.' So, in the old days, when people stole something they would wrap/ tie / it up in a large piece of fabric and then 'swing' the 'bag' of fabric over their shoulder and take of with the bag of stolen goods swinging behind them. Hence swag bag meaning a bag of stolen things. (Though now it can mean a bag of goodies kids get at a birthday party.)
Poor people didn't have proper bags or suitcases to put their belongings into, so they had to improvise with what they had.
By the way, the word swag's origin is Scandinavian.
2006-08-10 15:49:10 · answer #2 · answered by not the real me 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm pretty sure it originated in Australia.
2006-08-10 20:08:15 · answer #3 · answered by scatcat 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it's "Shwag Bag", not "Swag Bag"
2006-08-10 15:29:20 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋