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Glite Dictionary
🪣 A bag of sand 🕵️ To deceive 🥊 To attack unfairly 🏠 To protect with bags
to sandbag

to sandbag

1 7.5
To hit or attack someone unexpectedly and unfairly
  • verb
  • /ˈsændˌbæɡ/
  • Informal
translation icon : pillar desprevenido
  • She felt her colleague attempted to sandbag her during the meeting with tricky questions.

He said he watched, but he's not worried about audience not knowing who he's debating because he sits down with random college kids and sandbags them on their campus.

Examples

  • They decided to sandbag the speaker with rapid-fire questions that caught him off guard.

  • He said he watched, but he's not worried about audience not knowing who he's debating because he sits down with random college kids and sandbags them on their campus.

    H3 Podcast

  • The lawyer tried to sandbag his opponent by presenting unexpected evidence at the last moment.

Synonyms

to stun
vsto sandbag
11 4.0

To make someone unconscious or dazed for a short time by a hit

means to attack harshly or unfairly often by surprise rather than to render unconscious
to kick around
vsto sandbag
  • NSFW
10 7.5

Treat someone badly and unfairly again and again

refers to a sudden or surprise harsh attack rather than ongoing mistreatment
to kick someone when they are down
vsto sandbag
  • Informal
1 6.9

To treat someone badly when they already have problems

strikes in a sudden or underhanded way rather than only when someone is weak
to chappal
vsto sandbag
  • NSFW
9.9

To hit someone with a sandal to punish them, often in South Asia

means a harsh unfair attack often done secretly rather than a sandal strike
to box one's ears
vsto sandbag
  • Offensive
9.9

To hit someone on the side of the head to punish or scold them

focuses on a sudden unfair attack often planned or underhanded rather than a single head slap

Antonyms

to support
∞ 1.0

Give help to a person or idea

to defend
∞ 1.3

To protect people and things from attack or harm

How Violent

to assault
126 4.7
to sandbag
  • Informal
1 7.5
to hit
∞ 1.0
to push
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

sandbag infinitive
sandbagged past
sandbagged past participle
sandbagging present participle
sandbags third person singular

Morphology

sandbag = sandbag (opaque) = sand + bag

The figurative verb meaning 'attack or treat unfairly' is a semantic extension from the noun 'sandbag' and is not predictable for most learners.

Etymology

Sandbag as a verb comes from the noun sandbag and means to put 'sandbags' in place to protect or strengthen an area. So to sandbag a house or riverbank is to build a simple barrier against water or damage.