Gladstone bag

English

Etymology

Named for British prime minister William E Gladstone (1809-1898), a frequent traveller.

Noun

Gladstone bag (plural Gladstone bags)

1. (dated) An early hinged bag, a precursor of the modern briefcase.
   • 1951, J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, Chapter 7:

     I lit a cigarette and got all dressed and then I packed these two Gladstones I have. It only took me about two minutes.

   • 1961 March, ""Balmore"", “Driving and firing modern French steam locomotives”, in Trains Illustrated, page 147:

     André produced a gigantic Gladstone bag and from it extracted a meal forever memorable - a "pique-nique" as he called it.