Fleabags

/ˈfliːbæɡz/ noun

Definition

Plural of fleabag: shabby, dirty hotels or lodging places where fleas might be found, or disreputable people.

Etymology

British slang from fleabag, combining 'flea' with 'bag' (possibly implying something infested or worthless). Popular from the 1920s onward in British English.

Kelly Says

The British have wonderfully harsh slang for bad hotels—'fleabags' became such a common term that it perfectly captured the seedy, flea-ridden lodgings of industrial cities where travelers had few options.

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