Pack one's bags meaning in English
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Definition
to pack one's bags: to put one's possessions into one's bags; to prepare to leave
My sister is packing her bags tonight, because she's going on holiday tomorrow.
to pack one's things: to put one's possessions in a bag, a car, etc.
Examples
- "I'll just go home and pack my bags quickly."
- "Brian, pack your bags."
- "Pack your things and leave at once."
- "In January of 1980, Bruno took the little money he had earned, packed his bags, and with his loyal dog Stink, left Paris to explore the world."
- "Bruno took the little money he had earned, packed his bags, and with his loyal dog Stink, set off to explore the world."
- "Just as I was packing up my things, Horatio stumbled into my office wearing nothing but a loincloth."
- "Bruno took the little money he had earned, packed his bags, and with his loyal dog Stink, left Paris to explore the world."
- "Bruno took the little money he had, packed his bags, and with his loyal dog Stink, left Paris to explore the world."
- "In January of 1980, Bruno took the little money he had, packed his bags, and with his loyal dog Stink, left Paris to explore the world."
- "In January of 1980, Bruno took the little money he had earned, packed his bags, and with his loyal dog Stink, set off to explore the world."
Exercise 1
Polly writes, "Just as I was packing up my things, Horatio stumbled into my office wearing nothing but a loincloth."
In the context of Polly's email, what is the meaning of the verb "packing up"?
In the context of Polly's email, what is the meaning of the verb "packing up"?
Polly writes, "Just as I was packing up my things, Horatio stumbled into my office wearing nothing but a loincloth."
In the context of Polly's email, what is the meaning of the verb "packing up"?
In the context of Polly's email, what is the meaning of the verb "packing up"?
This is the best choice. The expression "to pack up one's things" means to collect and organize personal objects or belongings. Polly is preparing or arranging her personal belongings before she departs from the office at the end of the day. In another context, 'to pack up one's things' could have a more definitive sense: to tidy one's affairs before leaving one's job.
Polly writes that she was getting ready to leave the office, so it is very unlikely that she is "clearing all her personal things out of the office", which is usually done by someone who is leaving their job or moving to another office.
Polly writes that she was getting ready to leave the office, so it is very unlikely that she is putting her personal things in boxes, which is usually done when storing items for long durations of time.
This is incorrect. "To pack up (an object)" can mean to prepare it for posting or delivery, but when preapring a present (for Christmas or for someone's birthday) we use the verb "to wrap" not "to pack up". Example: I wrapped 200 presents for my son's birthday.
To REARRANGE means to put something in a NEW order or DIFFERENT arrangement. Example: I REARRANGED my furniture so that the fridge is next to the armchair. Polly isn't putting her "things" in a new order, but simply TIDYING her "things" and recreating the order that existed at the beginning of the day.
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