Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. the breasts.

1770

‘The Rakish Husband’s Return to his Wife’ Rakish Husband’s Garland 5: You Bitches strip, I cry’d. And show Your naked Arses, as you made me to do. I left them neither Smock nor Gown, nor stocking or a Shoe. You’d split your Sides with Laughter, to see the Whores to run, Ne’er a Ragg to hide their Baggs.

2. (US gay) the testicles.

1732		Ladies Delight 2: Ours has Nutmegs fit for Toasts, / And Bags by Nature planted grow.
1768		Gentleman’s Bottle-Companion 10: And could you have more to defend the just laws / Than to empty my bags in my country’s cause.
a.1796		‘For A’ That and A’ That’ in Farmer Merry Songs and Ballads (1897) II 264: His hairy bags baith side and wide, / Hung like a beggar’s wallet.
1838		‘My Love Has Got A Weather Eye!’ Rambler’s Flash Songster 28: She does not care for all his blows, / That from his bags he can muster.
1972		B. Rodgers Queens’ Vernacular.
1989–2003		R.O. Scott Gay Sl. Dict. 🌐.

3. (Irish) a despised person.

1939		‘Flann O’Brien’ At Swim-Two-Birds 120: You’re a bloody English bags, says your man in Irish.
1943		‘Myles na gCopaleen’ Faustus Kelly in ‘Flann O’Brien’ Stories & Plays (1973) 125: My God, imagine that bags a T.D.!
1966		P. Boyle At Night All Cats Are Grey 71: Give the poor old bags another pint, Tailor.

4. (Irish) a mess; thus in phr. make bags of, to make a mess of.

1969		P. Boyle All Looks Yellow to the Jaundiced Eye 57: I had him on the hook. You made a bags of the whole thing by butting in.
1994		F. Mac Anna Ship Inspector 68: He looked at me solemnly, ‘Don’t make a bags of it now’.
2001		G. Coughlan Everyday Eng. and Sl. 🌐 Bags (n): messy job.
2021		L. McInerney Rules of Revelation 160: [H]er father was then adopted by those same miserable doctrinaires [...] they made a bags of raising him.