English

Adjective

in the bag

1. (idiomatic) Certain or extremely likely to occur; virtually assured of victory or success.
   • 1862, Julie Rose (translator), Victor Hugo (author), Les Miserables (2009 edition), ISBN 9780812974263, p. 631:

     "Listen carefully. We've got him, this Croesus! As good as. It's in the bag. It's all arranged."

   • 1954, Charles Percy Snow, The New Men (2001 edition), ISBN 9781842324240, p. 61:

     "We mustn't count our eggs before they're hatched, but I think it's in the bag," he said.

2. (idiomatic) Intoxicated.
   • 2004, Les Visible, The Dark Splendour, ISBN 9781869928698, p. 97:

     "It's like the way it is for an alcoholic when he can't get a drink. . . . He bumps into more things now than he did when he was in the bag."

Synonyms

• (certain to occur): cinched, guaranteed, inevitable
• (intoxicated): See Wikisaurus:drunk

Translations

References

• in the bag at OneLook Dictionary Search