Standard Lemma guide

nosebag

noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A sack or bag for feeding a horse, mule, ox or similar animal, generally on the move or away from the home stable or paddock. Designed to be attached to harness and slipped over the animal's nose to permit feeding while eliminating spillage; designs vary.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • 1908 Animal Management. Prepared in The Veterinary Department for General Staff, War Office, London: Published by His Majesty's Stationery Office During peace in all marches of five hours it is advisable to feed once en route, if possible immediately after the horses have had a good drink. The bit being removed, the nosebag is to be buckled well up, to allow the horse to reach the feed easily and prevent him tossing his head and spilling the grain. Half-way through the feed it may require readjusting for the same reason. Horses that toss their heads persistently should have the top of the bag tightened round the face by a rubber, cord, or strap, to prevent waste. When the horse ceases to feed he should be allowed to graze and the nosebag is to be turned inside out to dry.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: feedbag

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Food or feeding.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: humorous, informal

Examples

  • 1925 P. G. Wodehouse. "Carry On, Jeeves" pub. Herbert Jenkins For this man Filmer, you must understand, was not one of those men who are lightly kept from the tea-table. A hearty trencherman, and particularly fond of his five o’clock couple of cups and bite of muffin, he had until this afternoon always been well up among the leaders in the race for the food-trough. If one thing was certain, it was that only the machinations of some enemy could be keeping him from being in the drawing-room now, complete with nosebag.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: scran, nosh, grub, bait, aliment, belly-timber, chow, comestibles, cuisine, eatables, eats, edibles, feed, fodder, foodstuffs, food, kai, meals, meat, munchable, nibbles, nosebag, nourishment, om nom nom, provender, provisions, rations, stodge, sustenance, tiffin, tucker, tuck, viands, victuals, vittles

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A nosy person.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: derogatory, informal

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

a canvas bag that is used to feed an animal (such as a horse); covers the muzzle and fastens at the top of the head

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: feedbag

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: bag

History

Etymology

From nose + bag.

Across languages

Translations

16 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: مِخْلَاة (miḵlāh) — round sack to feed an animal
  • Azerbaijani: ağızlıq — round sack to feed an animal
  • Bulgarian: торба за зоб (torba za zob) — round sack to feed an animal
  • Catalan: morral — round sack to feed an animal
  • Finnish: kaurapussi — round sack to feed an animal
  • French: musette — round sack to feed an animal
  • French: moreau — round sack to feed an animal
  • German: Futtersack — round sack to feed an animal
  • Ancient Greek: χιλωτήρ (khilōtḗr) — round sack to feed an animal
  • Irish: socmhála — round sack to feed an animal
  • Irish: mála cinn — round sack to feed an animal
  • Macedonian: зо́бник (zóbnik) — round sack to feed an animal
  • Russian: мешо́к для ко́рма (mešók dlja kórma) — round sack to feed an animal
  • Tigre: ምክላት (məkəlat) — round sack to feed an animal
  • Finnish: sapuska — informal: food
  • Finnish: mättö — informal: food